Hoar Announces Executive Leadership Transition
Turner Burton named CEO as Rob Burton moves to executive chairman role as part of long-term succession plan.
Hoar Holdings, LLC., a Birmingham-based company, today announced the appointment of Turner Burton as chief executive officer as part of an executive leadership transition designed to support the company’s long-term growth and continuity. Burton will lead the strategic growth of the company’s operating businesses, including Hoar Construction, HPM, and RPI Rentals. Following years of deliberate succession planning, longtime CEO, Rob Burton, will transition to executive chairman, where he will continue to provide strategic guidance and leadership.
“Leading Hoar for the last 25 years has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I am incredibly grateful for what our teams have built together,” said Rob Burton. “Turner is a proven leader who deeply understands our culture, people and long-term vision. I have full confidence in his ability to guide Hoar into its next chapter of growth and innovation, and I look forward to supporting him and the organization in my new role as executive chairman.”
During his tenure, Rob Burton served as the president of Hoar Construction beginning in 1996 before transitioning to CEO in 2001, overseeing the opening of nine additional offices. He also led the establishment of HPM and RPI Rentals. His work greatly expanded the company’s reach geographically and across diverse industries. Under his leadership, the companies grew from an annual revenue of $110 million to an annual revenue of $1.55 billion. HPM grew to manage over $2 billion worth of work annually and is ranked in ENR’s top 30 on their list of program management firms.
Turner Burton was named president of Hoar Construction in 2018 after holding a series of leadership roles at the firm, including vice president of the Alabama Division. His career began at Hoar Construction as an assistant superintendent while earning his bachelor of science degree in building science from Auburn University. Outside of work, Turner serves on the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham Board of Directors, the BBA Executive Committee, the Lakeshore Foundation Board of Directors and the O’Neal Cancer Center Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham and the Monday Morning Quarterback Club.
As president, Turner Burton helped grow Hoar Construction’s employee base by 162% and revenue by 137%. This was driven by the delivery of many notable projects across the country, including the 200,000-square-foot redevelopment of Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta, the construction of the 92-acre mixed-use development Fenton in Cary, North Carolina, and most recently, the $128 million replacement of the Spain Rehabilitation Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and $184 million STEM and Agriculture Sciences Complex at Auburn University.
“I am honored to step into the role of CEO and build on the strong foundation Rob and our leadership team have established,” said Turner Burton. “The values Hoar was founded on and our Envisioned Future to become the most respected and admired company in the industry will continue to guide everything we do. By supporting our employees and fostering a culture rooted in service, we will deliver lasting value to our clients, partners and communities.”
Hoar Holdings was created in 2012 to manage the umbrella of companies that have emerged from the initial beginnings of Hoar Construction. Hoar Construction was founded in 1940 and has grown to employ nearly 1,000 people across 10 offices in six states. The company has completed more than 4,900 projects nationwide across nine market sectors, serving industries such as education, healthcare, hospitality and multifamily housing. This year, the company ranked 91 on Engineering News Record (ENR)’s list of top contractors in the country.
HPM, a program and project management firm with eight offices across the country, was established as part of Hoar Construction in 1997, becoming a separate company under Hoar Holdings in 2012. Ryan Austin, who has served the companies in a variety of roles for 21 years and became president of HPM in 2021, will remain in his position. Throughout his tenure, Ryan has overseen the growth of the company to nearly 250 employees, managing more than $2 billion annually in facilities during planning, design and construction for clients across the US.
RPI Rentals, a construction equipment and supplies company, was founded in 2021 after being a long-standing division of Hoar. RPI has grown to three offices. All Hoar Holdings companies are headquartered in Birmingham with a national reach.
“Working together across all our companies to best serve our customers is my top priority in this new role,” said Turner Burton. “I’m excited to continue to build our people to advance their skills, create new opportunities for leadership and align our teams, expertise and resources to support the long-term growth of our customers and our companies.”
