Update: Meridian construction CEO resigns after viral video of him doing Nazi salute
Update: The CEO of a Meridian construction company resigned from his position Monday afternoon after a video of him performing a Nazi salute during a company event went viral online. Tom Hill, of Engineered Structures Inc., left the company effective immediately, according to a company news release.
The company’s president, Neil Nelson, is now CEO and board chair, and plans to focus on “healing and moving forward,” the release said.
In a statement attributed to Hill that the company shared on social media, the former CEO broke the news “with a heavy heart.”
“While my behavior was never intended to promote hatred or extremist views, I recognize that it has rightfully generated intense backlash and has overshadowed the mission of our company,” Hill’s statement read.
Boise State University President Marlene Tromp and two leaders of the Boise State University Foundation issued a statement Monday afternoon in response to the salute.
“We have spoken with senior leadership at ESI about this matter,” the statement said. “We expect ESI to hold true to the commitments they have made in the statement addressing this concerning incident.”
Boise State University and ESI broke ground Jan. 24 on the ESI Construction Management Building. ESI also built Boise State’s Fine Arts Center, which opened in 2017.
Nelson is a 1995 graduate of the university’s construction-management program and was honored in 2016 as a distinguished alumnus.
The original story:
The CEO of a Meridian construction company responded to a viral video of him performing a Nazi salute by calling it a failed attempt at humor before issuing a more in-depth apology Sunday night amid criticism online.
Tom Hill did the gesture multiple times onstage at a “State of the Company” event on Feb. 20, according to video footage on Reddit and a tip shared with the Idaho Statesman. Images of President Donald Trump played on a screen behind Hill as he thumped his chest with his right palm twice before stiffly extending his right arm in front of him, palm facing down.
The salute became the subject of controversy at Trump’s inauguration last month when billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk performed the same gesture. Critics called it a Nazi salute, while Musk defenders said he was “throwing his heart to the crowd,” performing a salute done by Roman soldiers or simply making an awkward gesture.
A short video clip of Hill was posted Friday in the Boise Reddit community and quickly garnered attention. The account that shared the clip has since been deleted, and it’s unclear where the video originated.
On Friday evening, ESI shared a short statement from Hill on its social media pages.
“Unfortunately, my recent attempt at humor and parody fell short and is being used by others to unfairly judge me and, more importantly, our amazing company and its people,” Hill’s statement said.
Hill said the gesture was part of a “political skit” where he “mimicked Elon Musk and President Trump’s signature dancing.”
“I did so as a commentary on the craziness of our political environment and nothing more,” Hill said.
The CEO said he rejected hate groups or ideologies and regretted “that my actions offended anyone or could be taken so out of context.”
ESI turned off commenting for the statement on Facebook and Instagram. On Facebook, the post had been met primarily with angry reactions. Dozens of people shared the post, and most of the public shares showed critical commentary that questioned Hill’s sincerity.
On Sunday evening, ESI shared another statement from Hill to its social media that opened with the CEO apologizing for his actions.
“That salute is one of the most recognizable of all Nazi symbols and when used represents hate, oppression and unspeakable atrocities — a reminder of an era that inflicted deep suffering on millions,” the statement said.
Hill’s statement said the company’s leadership team will meet with employees and community leaders and revisit its “Respectful Workplace” training to prevent future incidents.
Business and Local Government Editor David Staats contributed
This story was originally published February 24, 2025 at 11:19 AM.
