Baker Group announced at an all-employee meeting on Wednesday that it has become an employee-owned company. The new Baker Group employee stock ownership plan gives current and future employees full ownership, the company said in a news release. The commercial and industrial specialty contractor, which has more than 650 employees, will continue to operate under the same local business model and management structure. The company was established in 1963 by Bernard “Bernie” Baker Jr. and his wife, Berniece, in Des Moines as Baker Plumbing & Heating, and has been led by his son, Bernard “BJ” Baker III, for the past 35 years. In July 2017, the company moved into a new 142,000-square-foot facility in Ankeny. “When thinking about succession planning, I wanted to keep ownership with our team and the business in Central Iowa,” Baker said. “This is our home and where we want to stay. By making the transition to an employee-owned organization, we are rewarding our employees for their contributions to clients’ successes while empowering them to play an integral role in our future.” For more information, click here.