Unique Partnership Preserves Founder Newton B. Thomas’s Legacy, Intent
Baton Rouge, LA – The Baton Rouge Area Foundation today announced it has officially assumed ownership of The NewtronGroup, marking the culmination of a thoughtfully designed, values-driven partnership envisioned by founder Newton B. Thomas.
Structured over the course of many years, this unique partnership reflects Thomas’s desire to preserve the culture, core values, and impact of the company he built, while ensuring its continued ability to support communities where it operates. Rather than a traditional sale or succession plan, Thomas intentionally chose partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to implement a structure that aligns business success with charitable impact and long-term stewardship.
Founded in Baton Rouge over 50 years ago, The Newtron Group has become one of the region’s leading privately held companies and is consistently ranked among the 10 largest private companies in Greater Baton Rouge by the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report. Operating as an electrical construction contractor on a national scale, the company generates over$1 billion in annual revenue.
“This is an unprecedented approach for a business owner in Baton Rouge,” said John Schempf, President & CEO of The Newtron Group. “Newton never viewed this as giving away his company. He viewed it as preserving it. This partnership protects Newton’s core values and ensures that the way we treat our employees, customers, and partners remains central to who we are.”
The ownership transition will be facilitated through the Newton B. Thomas Support Foundation, a supporting organization of BRAF. Supporting Organizations are tax-exempt public charities housed within community foundations. Unlike private foundations, they are not controlled by founders or principal donors, and unlike donor-advised funds, they can own and operate active businesses. This structure allows for independent governance, professional oversight, and continuity while aligning long-term business performance with charitable purpose.
“At its core, this is a partnership built on trust and shared values,” said Chris Meyer, President and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. “Newton and his family placed extraordinary confidence in BRAF to steward not just a major businessenterprise, but the principles that define it. While this gift is historically significant, it also reflects a growing movement among donors who want their values to live on through the institutions they built.”
Under this partnership, The Newtron Group will continue to operate as an independent company with its leadership team, employees, and operational model intact. In addition to financial performance, governance will emphasize accountability to the company’s stated core values, ensuring long-term alignment with Thomas’s original vision.
The collaboration also ensures the continuation of The Newtron Group’s long-standing charitable giving, enabling support for nonprofit organizations in the communities where the company operates across the country.
Additional details about the partnership and its long-term impact will be shared in the coming months.
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About the Baton Rouge Area Foundation: Among the largest community foundations in the country, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation has sought to improve the quality of life in greater Baton Rouge and across south Louisiana since 1964.
The Foundation pursues its mission by serving donors to build the assets that drive initiatives and solutions, supporting local nonprofits to ensure overall impact and sustainability, engaging community leaders to develop appropriate responses to emerging opportunities and challenges, and by partnering with others to leverage collective resources and create the capacity to be a stimulus of positive regional change.
For more information, visit BRAF.org.
About The Newtron Group: Founded in 1973 by Newton B. Thomas, The Newtron Group is based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and has grown into one of the largest privately-owned specialty electrical construction companies in the United States. The Newtron Group includes numerous subsidiaries operating under both the Newtron and Triad brands. These brands offer a wide range of industrial services, from electrical and instrumentation installations to design, manufacturing, and integration services. With operations across the U.S., The Newtron Group and its subsidiaries remain committed to quality and innovation in every project.
For more information, visit TheNewtronGroup.com.