Kaplan Construction Recognized as Leading MA Family Business

July 11, 2017 - By The Real Reporter

BOSTON— Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, was recently named a Massachusetts Family Business of the Year by the Northeastern University Center for Family Business. Twenty finalists were honored during an event on Wednesday, June 14 at Northeastern University’s East Village in Boston. In honor of the celebration and to acknowledge the contributions that family businesses make to the Commonwealth, Governor Charles Baker proclaimed June 14 as Family Business Day.

Created to promote and highlight the achievements of Massachusetts-based, family-held businesses and entrepreneurs, the Massachusetts Family Business Awards program annually presents awards to recognize businesses that include, or have included, more than one generation, and whose policies and business practices have had a positive impact on the business and community. For the last 11 years, recipients of the Massachusetts Family Business of the Year Awards have been selected by a panel of independent judges based on the following criteria: business success, positive business and family linkages, multi-generational family involvement, contributions to the community and industry, and innovative business practices or strategies.

Kaplan’s lead staff took pride in the award given the company’s strong emphasis on family. “Kaplan was founded on family. While we have grown over the years, we have remained a family-based firm with a core staff, many of whom have been with us for 10, 20, or even 30 years, and a second generation of employees has come onboard,” says Jane Kaplan Peck, Chief Operating Officer of Kaplan Construction. “We are honored to be recognized as a family-run business contributing positively to the economic strength of the Commonwealth,” adds Peck. The company’s ability to retain its family ties while contributing to state commerce makes it all the more rewarding for members of its founding family.

In addition to its reputation as a family-focused business, Kaplan also received its third annual Best Places to Work recognition in June from the Boston Business Journal (BBJ). The award honors companies that create the most enjoyable and meaningful work environments according to anonymous employee surveys collected from companies in Boston.

Kaplan has also received awards for its commitment to placing women in leadership positions. In 2014 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certified Kaplan as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). At the same time, it announced the culmination of a three-year management transition in which Jane Kaplan Peck was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) and majority owner and Nathan Peck was promoted to President. Founders Ken and Cathy Kaplan serve as Chairman of the Board and Senior Advisor, respectively. Since the transition, the company has grown by 80% and was named by The Commonwealth Institute as a Top 100 Women-led Business for two years in a row.