John W. Danforth Co., PM's 2018 Mechanical Contractor of the Year and one of the largest mechanical contractors in the Northeast, announced Robert Beck has been named CEO. He is only the seventh person to hold the title in the company’s 134-year history.

“The tradition of Danforth is rooted in quality work, a commitment to our customers, and a team of employees who are second to none," Beck said. "It is an honor to continue our journey."

Beck joined Danforth in 1993 and was named president of the company in 2015. He succeeds Kevin “Duke” Reilly as CEO; however, Reilly remains Chairman of JWD Group, the holding company of John W. Danforth Co.

“Robert is an exceptional leader, and has earned this next step in his career,” said Reilly, who has served as CEO since 2002. “The advancements and innovation in our industry continue to evolve, and Danforth has remained at the leading edge of those advancements. Working together with Robert, I am as confident as ever that Danforth will continue to lead the way, not only through innovation and investment, but also through the same core principles upon which Danforth was built in 1884.”

Today, Danforth has more than 1,000 employees across a geographic footprint that includes offices in Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Poughkeepsie, in addition to its Buffalo-area headquarters. The company works collaboratively with its union labor partners including the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers, and several other labor partners across many local union jurisdictions throughout the northeast and beyond. Danforth operates an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, giving the company’s workforce an ownership stake in the company.

“Duke and his predecessors have created a culture that everyone in our company wholeheartedly buys into, from management to the teams in the field, from Buffalo to Albany,” Beck said. “Our leadership team has the privilege of leading the company forward for the next generation of Danforth employees. As stakeholders and owners, we all see ourselves as custodians of an incredible legacy, and that, more than anything, is what makes us successful.”