Ed Walsh founded the Walsh Company in 2003 and relaunched the firm in 2019, offering services including general contracting, project management, lighting and environmental solutions. — Photo by Aaron Houston for Real Estate NJ
By Joshua Burd
President-elect Donald Trump has named Ed Walsh, a veteran construction executive and well-known figure in New Jersey commercial real estate, as the next U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
Trump announced the pick Saturday on his Truth Social platform, citing Walsh’s business achievements, public service and renowned golf game. The president of Morristown-based Walsh Company has more than three decades of experience — offering services such as general contracting, project management, lighting and environmental solutions — with deep ties to many of the state’s top developers, brokers and other service providers.
Many of those executives will note that Walsh is easily one of the best and most accomplished golfers in New Jersey’s commercial real estate sector. He is a longtime member and past club champion of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, as well as a past co-chair of the club’s Starry Night Gala.
“Edward is the President of the Walsh Company, a very successful nationwide construction and real estate firm,” Trump wrote in the post, one of several nominees he announced over the weekend. “He is a great philanthropist in his local community, and previously served as the Chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority Board. He is also a Champion Golfer, a very good asset for the Ambassador of Ireland to have. Do well Ed!”
Walsh’s early career included more than a decade with the former Gale & Wentworth, the development and real estate investment firm, preceding the launch of his own business in 2003. He found success as a project manager and owner’s representative, working on several high-profile projects in New Jersey over the next decade for clients such as BASF, Panasonic Corp. of North America, Wyndham Worldwide and Reckitt Benckiser.
The well-connected and well-liked Walsh sold his firm in 2012 to Avison Young, the Toronto-based real estate services company, as the latter was expanding aggressively in the Northeast. By that time, Walsh had grown his team to more than 50 professionals in fields such as construction, site planning, furniture and interior design, with offices in Boston, Washington D.C. and Westchester County.
He then relaunched the Walsh Company in 2019, enjoying a fast start with the help of construction and project management clients, as he looked to add a new lighting platform and an environmental solutions team. Its notable projects and clients include Tommy’s Tavern + Tap, American Family Care, New Jersey Hall of Fame and Atlantic Health, among others.
Walsh relaunches construction and project management firm, eyeing new lighting platform