Successful business leaders usually learn the lessons of tenacity early in their careers. It is rare, however, to come across an owner or CEO with a career record of such grit and determination as Tyler Ferguson’s. As president of PM Construction Co., Inc. in Saco, Maine, Ferguson overcame numerous challenges to achieve success for the company, while growing and nurturing a beautiful family. His is a life lived with faith, unwavering and dedicated.
PM Construction opened its doors in 1999 and today has a presence in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, where it is known for its ground-up retail, multi-residential construction and renovation projects, and soaring business trajectory. Specializing in commercial and retail construction and providing general contracting, design/build services, and construction management services, the company now has well-honed systems for survival and growth, whatever the state of the economy, and handles inherent industry risks with its trademark humility and steadfast resolve.
Learning through overcoming
Despite this success, from his earliest days, Tyler Ferguson faced a challenge of his own. As a young student, education for him was a battle with dyslexia that would become a lifelong struggle for literacy. Character-building hard work and determination would be key if he were to achieve anything—and with the support of his wonderful parents, that’s what he committed to.
Following high school, a friend introduced Ferguson to Unity Environmental University in New Gloucester, Maine, where he was welcomed into an optimal learning environment that could provide him with the knowledge and skills that a passionate and visionary leader needed. “Unity College was a perfect school for me because of the small classes, knowing your professor by name. With my learning disability, it was perfect,” Ferguson shares.
Living in a 1970s trailer during that time, the determined student worked side hustles over weekends to pay his and his wife’s student debt, eventually saving enough by 2009 to buy a house with some support from the Obama administration’s home-buying credits. “My whole goal at school was not to disappoint my parents; I wanted to make sure that, as hard workers themselves, they were proud of me,” he says. “I recognized at a young age how hard you have to work to get ahead.”
The young adult set out into the world as a part-owner tree feller after completing his studies. As an arborist, he worked at 100-foot elevations during the day while being a lumberjack on the side—seven days a week in the extreme weather of Maine. The budding entrepreneur’s candle was burning at both ends to meet the demands of adulthood.
Sadly, this business relationship ended abruptly when a raise was not forthcoming, leaving him in the lurch, trying desperately to replace the income for his burgeoning family. Selling his shares in the business to solve his financial situation, Ferguson sought out a job with a friend’s father, who happened to be a superintendent at PM Construction. He was ready to jump at any opportunity that was available and, as luck and grace would have it, there were some.
The early bird…
And so, when Tyler Ferguson joined PM Construction in 2010, it was cleaning toilets, earning $3 an hour and starting at 4:30 a.m. each day before his day job as a general laborer, positions he was only too happy to have with a family to care for and a second baby due at any moment.
Unaware that his arrival at the firm during a hospital renovation would also mark a significant turning point in the company’s fortunes and his own, Ferguson soon discovered a dangerous flaw in said hospital building’s passive fire mitigation systems during preparation for an overall safety audit related to accreditation for funding. “I was shocked that none of the fire stopping in a newly built wing was done properly—or at all,” he tells us. “And nobody seemed to know anything about it.”
On reporting the problem, Ferguson requested permission to find a solution, which was granted. This would change both his future and that of the company.
A frantic search produced a single website for a firm with whom Ferguson has since become good friends. Its detailed explanations of fire stopping gave him a solid foundation for remedying the hospital’s pressing safety deficit, and the opportunity to establish his own business. Following training to qualify as a professional in the field, Ferguson spent 2012 setting up NE Fire Stopping Solutions while continuing to work 20-hour weeks at PM Construction. Opening NEF for business in 2013, the offering was an instant success, despite a mercurial economy.
Setting up the first satellite office in Florida, he moved on to North Carolina. Currently, NEF serves hospitals across 30 states with a sterling team of 100.
Meeting the industry’s needs
Thanks to the wisdom and guidance of PM Construction’s original owner, William Mason, both companies weathered COVID-19 and its inherent challenges. Following that, Mason decided that it was time to hand over the reins. Sharing this news with Ferguson, the two started work on a succession strategy, which had Ferguson officially take over as President and CEO in April of 2024.
Establishing an outstanding reputation for quality construction with a host of large national clients, the company’s list of repeat customers impresses. Just recently, Hannaford Supermarket elected PM Construction as a preferred supplier. The firm’s multi-residential projects are also exceedingly sought after, with its current focus being on affordable housing. “We have a team of superintendents who really love the high-paced challenge of this sector. There’s a strong need for affordable housing right now in Maine,” says Ferguson.
He goes on to explain that every town in Maine has its own housing authority, which was news to him when the company started work in this field. Each authority helps to fund housing, alongside the Maine Housing Authority. “It feels good to be able to provide quality, affordable housing in partnership with these authorities,” he adds, and he points out that the company’s present focus is to grow this division.
As part of its strategy, the company is actively developing its next generation of superintendents to ensure that it maintains and builds on the quality that supports its reputation. By allowing its operations to grow while encouraging repeat business, PM Construction is committed to securing sustainable expansion and, in the process, longevity.
Naturally, this vision is only possible when healthy business relationships are also maintained, and the company’s sales team is highly regarded for the in-person service they deliver. To ensure that the sales team does not become the company’s apology team, as Ferguson puts it, he has also appointed two project executives with over 30 years of construction experience who keep a keen eye on overall operations. Newly appointed young professionals are also encouraged to bring their best to every project through continued development and ample mentor support.
As well as its commitment to building and adapting Hannaford supermarkets, there is further excitement with some large projects underway. One of these, Adam’s Point, is a $14 million, 43-unit affordable housing project in Biddeford, Maine. Comprising four stories, it’s expected to conclude in February of 2026. A $4 million park project is also underway in Portland, Maine, giving the team an opportunity to deliver lighthearted innovation and creativity.
But there are also tough renovation projects, like a car dealership that’s cracking due to subsidence. This team relishes the challenge of saving the building from further damage. “Project managers are gluttons for punishment,” says Ferguson, tongue in cheek, noting how lucky he is to be able to handpick his happy and talented team.
A spirited team
With their strong team-player spirit, PM Construction’s staff members flourish, taking the initiative and fully investing in the company’s growth. The result is smart development in all areas, coupled with people who genuinely care about each other, planning parties for birthdays, looking out for one another, and making the group’s well-being a priority.
As an accomplished construction leader, happy husband, and proud father of five beautiful daughters—Charlotte, Hazel, Evelyn, Valerie, and new-to-this-world Claire—Tyler Ferguson, it would be safe to say, has made it, weathering the heavy storms of the construction world with skill and tenacity.
These are indeed new times for PM Construction, which recently settled into its new 19,000-square-foot facility. Providing office and warehouse space for itself and sister company NEF, the new building is a testament to the new beginnings that will help the company expand its flexibility and its reach.
As PM Construction continues building opportunities through trust, this company leads with healthy relationships, sound fiscal resilience, and time-tested workmanship.
