From humble roots planted in its founding as a small plumbing contractor in 1963, Baker Group has grown to become one of the Midwest’s largest full-service specialty contractors. In January, the company marked the 60th anniversary of its founding by Bernard “Bernie” Baker Jr.

Baker’s original shop was located on the east side of Des Moines. In those early days, Baker was focused primarily on providing expert plumbing services on multitenant new construction projects. As the scope of services and expertise grew through the years, one thing remained the same: Baker’s commitment to serving the community. This commitment was led by Bernie himself, who just months after founding his company joined with four other community leaders — A.H. Blank, Ellis I. Levitt, E.T. Meredith Jr., and Miles Mills — to establish the Boys & Girls Club of Central Iowa.

Today, Baker Group maintains that commitment to community while serving an increasingly diverse mix of clients from locations across Iowa. As it has grown, the Baker name has become synonymous with expert solutions in the design, installation and servicing of commercial, industrial and institutional building clients.

“The strongest indicator of future performance is always past accomplishment,” says Board Chair BJ Baker III, who is the son of founder BJ Baker, Jr. and served as CEO from 1984 until transitioning into his current position in 2021. “We are proud of our history and the way we have grown by relentlessly focusing on meeting the evolving needs of our clients. This has offered us an opportunity to proactively develop further expertise and expand our reach.”

Headquartered in Ankeny with locations in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Baker Group has earned its reputation for building better communities by delivering an array of services across the region. As one of the Midwest’s largest full-service specialty contractors, Baker Group’s extensive capabilities accommodate projects ranging from complex mission-critical facilities to small office improvements.

Specifically, Baker Group provides design, installation and service solutions in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), plumbing and piping, electrical systems, sheet metal, security systems, fire alarm systems, parking revenue control, compressed air, advanced manufacturing, automation, facility maintenance and operations, and more.

In 2019, Baker Group became an employee-owned organization. With literal ownership in the organization, employees have been critical to growth.

“The quality of our team doesn’t happen by chance,” says CEO Gary Bridgewater, who has worked in a variety of roles at Baker Group for more than three decades. “We are where we are because we go the extra mile to identify and recruit people who fit our culture, are exceptional in their area of expertise. We are successful today — and will be successful tomorrow — because of the talented people on our jobsites and in our offices.”

Moving forward, Baker Group is focused on continuing to bring increasingly efficient and innovative design and build services to even the most complex of projects.

“Our future most certainly includes new services and delivery techniques in response to our client needs,” Bridgewater says.

Baker agrees, saying, “From our founding, we have been committed to ensuring our clients receive sustainable, high-value products and services; high-quality design and construction; cost-effective installation and on-time completion,” he says. “That is why we are still here and still growing 60 years later. Whatever the project, whatever its size, our employee-owners committed to making sure our clients can always expect the best.”