The Hamilton-Ryker Group Inc., a Martin, Tenn.-based staffing firm, was sold to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), and is now 100 percent employee-owned. De Bellas & Co and CSG Partners LLC, which worked with Hamilton-Ryker on the deal, announced the transaction.

“We had the opportunity to sell the company, but we weren’t comfortable losing our legacy and knowing how this could impact our employees,” said Crawford Gallimore, who co-founded Hamilton Ryker with Wayne McCreight. “We wanted to see Hamilton-Ryker remain independent and continue its growth. I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to our employees, who have been so critical to the company’s success.”

Hamilton-Ryker offers light industrial and office professional staffing. It has two corporate offices and 17 field offices in Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Arkansas.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The management team will remain with the company as part of the ESOP deal with Kelly McCreight continuing as president.