RUSH Employee Ownership and Shareholders

RUSH Construction’s Employee Ownership Program was created as a way for employees to develop a deeper role with the company, as well as to add an element of succession to RUSH’s business model.

“One of the key takeaways that came out of our 1996 corporate sabbatical was the idea that I needed to bring additional talent to the company,” says RUSH Founder Eduardo Rabel. “As we brought in more people, I realized early on that we needed to address the issue of company ownership – The idea that if we had owners of the company, not just ‘me’, that it was going to strengthen the company.”

Thus, on September 7, 2000, RUSH’s Employee Ownership Program was born.

“Being an employee-owned company is a strong part of the RUSH culture. From both the office and the field, our ownership structure provides our clients with a deeper level of attention when they are dealing with someone who has a vested interest in the success of their project,” says William Chivers, President of RUSH Construction.

RUSH’s program is more of a freelance employee ownership program, rather than a conventional retirement-type plan, and part of its design involves an element of succession. This idea of a “foundation for the next generation” has been key. Ed considers the Employee-Ownership Program to be one of RUSH’s most valuable programs and an integral part of the company’s corporate culture and vision for the future. “What RUSH is able to deliver to our clients is the fact that we are going to be here for the next generation,” explains Ed. “We do it through cross-training, hiring people of various ages and capabilities, and of course, the employee-ownership element plays an important role as well.”