Wright-Ryan celebrates 40 years of building

Portland, ME Wright-Ryan, one of the largest and most respected construction firms in northern New England, today launched “Building for Generations” an anniversary celebration of its 1984 founding by Tom Wright and John Ryan. Through a series of special initiatives planned for the coming months, the anniversary campaign will focus on the future of Wright-Ryan while shining a spotlight on the team members, partners and projects that have been integral to the firm’s success over the last four decades.

“For forty years, Wright-Ryan has been building Maine’s great spaces – built environments where Maine’s people have lived, worked, learned, and thrived for generations. What an honor it is to celebrate this milestone with the community that made it all possible,” said John Ryan, president of Wright-Ryan. 

“Even more important than reflecting on where we have been is to look ahead at where we are going. This anniversary celebration gives us an opportunity to share our exciting vision for the future with our community. We are looking forward to highlighting all the ways in which our team will continue to build for generations to come.”

Wright-Ryan was established in 1984 by Tom Wright and John Ryan, two childhood friends who shared a belief that creating a relationship-based firm where people cared about each other would unlock excellence. The company has since grown to include more than 100 team members, with expertise that spans both commercial and residential construction. Collectively, they have thrived through a signature focus on innovation, sustainability, and long-lasting partnerships, establishing Wright-Ryan as a distinguished and well-respected leader in the industry.

In recent years, the firm has continued to innovate in the industry. In 2016, Wright-Ryan made headlines for transitioning to a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In the same year, the firm completed work on the Village Centre Apartments project in Brewer, ME – serving as construction manager (CM) to Community Housing of Maine. Village Centre is one of the nation’s first, and largest, Passive House certified, multifamily affordable housing communities. In 2023, Wright-Ryan was named as the CM serving Elliotsville Foundation, in partnership with a Wabanaki Advisory Board, to construct the Tekαkαpim?k Contact Station at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

To kick off the anniversary celebrations, Wright-Ryan has introduced a special edition logo across its digital presence. The anniversary logo references Wright-Ryan’s brand while drawing inspiration from the built environments within the company’s portfolio of work and symbolizing Wright-Ryan’s future growth. Wright-Ryan will also release a limited video series and host a variety of special events, all designed to celebrate the shared successes of the past four decades and the future projects and progress to come.