ECI – Engineers Construction

About ECI

Benjamin L. Dow 

Chief Executive Officer and President

 

Benjamin L. Dow is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Engineers Construction, Inc. (ECI). Ben graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University in 1988. After graduation, he moved back to his home State of Vermont and began his career at ECI. Alan Pidgeon, one of the founders of ECI, was a family friend of Ben, and he convinced Ben that ECI was a good fit.

 

Since 1988, Ben has served in nearly every position in the ECI corporate organizational structure. He started out as a Field Engineer and Laborer and was promoted to Foreman within his first year. As a Foreman, Ben led work in the field and these interactions served as a foundation for his lifetime pursuit of helping others learn and grow. As Ben progressed from a Foreman, Superintendent, and Project Manager, Ben provided project leadership on hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure improvement projects; most of which included challenges that required engineered solutions. Ben’s education, coupled with his vast construction and engineering experience and passion for the work, makes him uniquely qualified to be the leader of ECI.

 

Ben became a Vice President and the Leader of the Civil Division in 2004 when ECI transitioned ownership from Alan Pidgeon to his two sons; Ken and Scott Pidgeon. At this time Ben began working with the new owners in developing the culture of the next generation of ECI.

 

In 2010 Ben was promoted to Sr. Vice President to serve as an executive leader of ECI. He was responsible for assuring compliance for safety, code of conduct, quality work, and best business practices, and to develop a sense of structure, consistency, honor, pride, and respect throughout the company. It was during this time that Ben began developing his ability to run the entire organization.

 

In 2024, Ben became the President & CEO of ECI. He now leads all aspects of the company’s operation and makes the major corporate decisions, manages overall operations, and drives the strategic direction of the company. His duties include shaping the company’s vision, culture, and long-term goals by driving progress and inspiring growth and teamwork.

 

One of Ben’s greatest contributions to ECI is his work to develop and maintain the company’s culture. Ben exemplifies the ECI corporate mission, philosophy, and code of conduct. He is passionate about helping others to be accountable and productive. Ben’s leadership style is founded on understanding and respecting the opinions of others through good communication and asking the right questions. Ben pays close attention to his team, engages them when challenges are still small, and empowers them to own the solutions. He has a unique way of building leaders and leadership through dedicated and consistent core value exploration. Honest conversations involving self-reflection and accountability lead to an engaged and aligned ECI team.

 

Under Ben’s leadership, ECI has grown from approximately 85 employees to over 200 employees and this was accomplished in one of the region’s worst labor markets in history. It is the culture that was created and maintained by Ben that draws good employees to the firm and retains them. Ben is the longest active full-time employee at ECI and has been involved in the hiring of most, and management of all, current ECI employees.

 

Ben holds a Class A Commercial Driver’s License and is an Instrument Rated Private Pilot. He and his wife Barbara have been together since 1981 and were married in 1987.  They enjoy doing home projects and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Ben is also a 32nd Degree Freemason, Shriner, Past Master of the Seneca Masonic lodge, and has served as Secretary of the Lodge since 2003.