Employee Ownership at Lee

Lee Industrial Contracting was founded with the hope of creating a company that would take on projects in their entirety. With each job, Lee links talented people and project management strategies with proven processes and the best equipment available

Lee Contracting began life as Lee Electric in 1989 in Clarkston, Michigan. Now, with nearly 500 employees across every trade, Lee continues to attract talented people who want to work with the best and brightest.

What is it about Lee that continues to attract the highest caliber tradespersons in the industry? Consider just a few of the reasons.

Consistency and security

The heavy construction industry is known for its ‘feast or famine’ aspect. Even in good times, construction workers can find themselves laid off when they’d rather be working. Because Lee cross-trains team members, hitting a project milestone in one specialty doesn’t mean idly waiting for another crew to finish their phase before resuming work.

With cross-training, team members can move from one discipline to another with confidence, knowing they have the training and experience to effectively contribute to whatever work is being performed. That’s one reason Lee teams have overtime opportunities when other contractors are laying off their employees.

Providing for our employee-owners

It’s easy to say we have the best of everything. But when new hires walk around our campus and comment on the quality and breadth of our tools, equipment and materials, we know we’re doing something right.

We know getting the work done is often a function of having the right tools, equipment and materials. That’s why we work hard to ensure our inventory is the envy of the industry. And why we never expect team members to supply their own tools.

Endless opportunity

In most industrial contracting companies, there are limits to how far you can progress in the business. But the opportunities at Lee are limitless.  A common question asked by new hires is, “How fast can I move up?” At Lee, the answer is always, “That’s up to you.”

For most tradespersons, starting out in a particular trade locks you in for life. You started as a pipefitter? You’ll probably retire as a pipefitter. That’s not life at Lee.

Lee is committed to preparing you for advancement within the company by providing ongoing training in multiple trades. And while that can be intimidating, it can also be exciting. Because as you learn more you become more valuable. And being valuable is the key to opportunity.

We are constantly on the lookout for ways to invest in our employees. One example is our participation in the Going PRO Talent Fund from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – Workforce Development. Going PRO allows us to expand our customized, classroom and on-the-job training, and helps us offer apprenticeships in eligible industrial contracting positions.

Paying it forward

Our long-term employees, many of whom have been here more than a decade, take pride in mentoring apprentices and watching them grow. Not only do they teach excellence in their work, but they also instill in them their enthusiasm about working for Lee. And along the way, somewhere between arc welders and drill presses, they pick up on the pride shared by every Lee team member. They become part of the family – proud of the work we do, and proud to wear the name.

The bankable difference

We can talk about a lot of things that make Lee Contracting stand out from other firms. But the most important may be this: Lee is one-hundred percent employee-owned. The acronym is ESOP, which stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

That means two things.

1. Every Lee employee is an owner of the business. While we all fill differing roles, every Lee employee owns stock in the company. And that stock comes with the job. No financial contribution is required, and employee-owners are fully vested after three years of employment. So, every employee takes a real interest in how the company performs. Because the company’s performance affects the value of our stock in the company.
2. Nobody is as concerned about delivering excellence to their customers as an owner. That accounts for our attention to every project detail. It’s why we obsess over keeping our tools and equipment in the best possible condition. Why we push each other to give one hundred percent every day on every job. And why our customers keep coming back, knowing we will never disappoint.

Lee also provides employees with a 401K program, another way to build a solid financial future. While many younger employees may not be able to contribute to a 401K while they’re building their lives, it will be there when the time arrives.

Working at Lee presents better opportunities than most any other contractor. Need proof? Just ask any Lee employee. But get comfortable: you’re going to be there a while.

At the end of the day, Lee is and will continue to be a training company. Our goal is to hand down our knowledge to the people who will take our place. This is our culture and how we’ve advanced over time. We’re going to get it done—whatever it takes. Are you in?

Looking for a company that repays your skills and work ethic with real rewards? Talk to us today.