It was one of those perfect Maine days. The sun was out, it was pushing 75 degrees, and Casco Bay was as beautiful as it gets. As I drove toward Martin’s Point in Portland, a mature bald eagle swooped in front of me and glided over the bay, its white head bright against the blue sky.
I was there to tour the Martin’s Point Health Care Corporate Facility with Senior Superintendent Ed Hume. I expected to talk about the project: the site, the work underway, and what it takes to bring a 100,000-square-foot facility to life on an active medical campus. But when I left, I felt compelled to write something more personal, because the best part of the afternoon wasn’t the building, impressive as it is.
Ed has worked in construction for 47 years, nearly half a century, and he’s been with PC Construction since 2000. He’s a lifelong Mainer who has built projects, relationships, and a reputation throughout Portland and beyond. He knows this area in a way you can’t learn from drawings.
As we walked, we talked about PC’s previous projects with Martin’s Point, the history of Casco Bay, and how the area has changed. Then the conversation moved to life, family, and the experiences that shape us. Somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like a site tour. It felt like I was getting to know Ed.
He told me about projects that have meant something to him, including the University of Southern Maine’s Portland Commons Residence Hall and McGoldrick Center for Career and Student Success. The pride in his voice made it clear it was more than another project on a list. He had put a piece of himself into it.
On a construction site, you see excavation, concrete, steel, and brick. What you don’t see are the years of experience, the lessons learned, and the care someone brings simply because they want it done right.
October was Employee Ownership Month, and walking Martin’s Point with Ed, I thought about what that really means.
Standing at the terrace, it struck me that Ed wasn’t just showing me a view. He was showing me a community he’s invested in, as an owner of PC Construction. You could hear it in how he talked about the site, the people, and his 25-plus years at PC. He wasn’t describing a job. He was describing something that’s his.
That’s what ownership looks like: pride in the work, a willingness to share what you have learned, and a commitment to the people around you. It doesn’t show up on a schedule, but it’s in every project we build.
For me, Martin’s Point was more than a site tour. It was a reminder of what it means to own what we do, and that the people who share that ownership are what make PC so special.