Thompson Parent Company Announces Leadership Changes
MOBILE, ALA. — The new year will bring new leadership to the helm of Thompson Holdings, parent company of Thompson Engineering, Watermark Design, Thompson Consulting Services, and Meyer Engineers. Chief Legal Officer Chad Brown will become CEO starting Jan. 1, 2025.
Current CEO John Baker will become Executive Chairman. “Chad brings a strategic energy to our organization,” said Baker. “In particular, his leadership in mergers and acquisitions and the development of our Employee Stock Ownership Plan has created growth and value for our employee-owners.” Brown joined Thompson Holdings in 2002.
He is an officer on the Thompson Holdings Board of Directors, where he chairs the board's M&A committee and the Thompson Foundation. As CEO, he will be responsible for executing the strategic vision for Thompson Holdings. He will also lead the company’s shared services including Accounting, HR, IT, Risk Management, Safety, and Corporate Communications.
“Our employee-owners are entrepreneurial and our goal moving forward is to continue our focus on innovation with emerging technology and delivering strong ESOP performance. I look forward to being a strategic resource providing leadership and governance for a growing ESOP and delivering excellent business services for our operating companies. John’s legacy as CEO of Thompson Holdings will have a lasting impact, and it has been an honor to serve alongside him for 22 years,” said Brown.
Brown’s appointment as CEO of Thompson Holdings is the latest development in succession planning in advance of Baker’s retirement. In January 2024, Baker announced Kendall Kilpatrick as CEO of Thompson Engineering, the largest of the operating subsidiaries. Kilpatrick is only the fifth CEO to lead the company in its 71-year history.
“Kendall’s leadership of the flagship company over the past year has led to significant staff growth and geographic expansion, client growth and retention, and excellent performance. We look forward to the continued growth of the Thompson Engineering brand.” Baker’s 33-year career with Thompson began in its Water Resources Division in 1991. He was promoted to President of
Thompson Engineering and then CEO of both Thompson Holdings and Thompson Engineering. “It’s been an incredible journey and honor to lead our employee-owners at Thompson. As Executive Chairman, my new role will be to ensure a smooth transition for the leadership of both Thompson Holdings and Thompson Engineering, those roles now split,” said Baker.
“This generation of leadership is excited about the future, and I am looking forward to seeing new opportunities and rewards created for our employee-owners under our new leadership structure.”
About Thompson Holdings
Thompson Holdings is the parent company of professional firms Thompson Engineering, Watermark Design, Thompson Consulting Services, and Meyer Engineers. Thompson provides ESOP-related leadership and governance functions as well as business services to its operating subsidiaries. The Thompson operating companies provide a broad range of engineering, architectural, and disaster consulting services.
