Cadena joins the elite group of Utah leaders who exemplify strategic vision, drive company growth and provide vital contributions to economic prosperity to the Utah region
KANARRAVILLE, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Arkansas–BZI® (bzi.com), a top steel and construction company nationally recognized for transformative innovations in its industries, commemorated another one of its executives being awarded by business and industry communities for their leadership excellence and contributions. BZI’s VP of Safety, Jesus Cadena, accepted his 2026 Utah Business Executive Excellence Award along with other exceptional Utah executives at a celebration event sponsored by the magazine, earlier this week.
“Jesus not only exemplifies the values and mission of BZI, his innovative strategy, teamwork, commitment and sincere desire to keep his teams safe has helped BZI become one of the top and most distinguished construction companies in terms of safety advancements, metrics and performance,” said James Barlow, CEO of BZI.
The Utah Business Executive Excellence Awards is an annual program presented by Utah Business magazine that honors standout C-suite and senior executive team members. It recognizes leaders from various industries who drive company growth, demonstrate strategic vision, and make vital contributions to the state’s economic prosperity, and includes:
- Recognition: The awards highlight executives who manage crucial day-to-day details in areas spanning product development, finance, marketing, and operations.
- Selection Process: Nominations are submitted by peers or colleagues and scored by a panel of industry experts to determine the top performers.
- Publication & Event: Honorees are officially celebrated each summer during the annual Executive Excellence Awards Luncheon and featured in an issue of Utah Business.
“What an extreme honor to stand alongside this group of impressive Utah businesses and leaders and witness the positive impact we can all have locally and nationally. It is rewarding to work at BZI who fosters a culture of innovation and safety in everything we do across the entire organization,” said Cadena. “I am fortunate to receive the resources and support to carry out the programs and innovations that make BZI one of the safest places for construction and steel workers. Our team members know we do everything in our power to keep them safe. This is also one of the many reasons our attrition numbers are low.”
BZI consistently excels with its approach to safety. The company has received several awards for its high standards and safety metrics through the work of Cadena. BZI is proud of its industry leading 0.42 EMR (Experience Modification Rating), a measure of safety within the industry. These results are accomplished not only through excellent leadership, but through the design, engineering and equipment innovations of BZI’s affiliate InnovaTech®.
“Safety is our number one mission,” added Thomas Harker, President at BZI. “If anyone in our company has suggestions or notices ways to improve our processes, our leadership quickly acts to consider the best ways to execute the new ideas. This is one of the many reasons we’ve been able to achieve the safety levels that set us apart, have our team members feel rewarded in their career and taken care of at every level of the organization, throughout every project.”
Cadena added that the company provides Quality Control Guides to ensure all specifications for safety are met and exceed industry standards. “Every day starts with team discussions on safety and ways we can help our fellow team members be safer, before anyone steps out on the work site or operational facilities. We provide quality personnel, training and extensive resources, continually updating the information and instruction, based on changing project and industry conditions.”
“Jesus also represents the growth opportunities at BZI. He started as a decker at the company, and through his hard work, initiative, ideas and ability to lead among his peers, he has grown to be a top performer and contributor in the company,” said Harker.
The construction industry is listed among the most dangerous industries in the world, typically ranking in the top three or four for highest fatality rates. Early 2026 data, identifies construction with the highest absolute number of workplace fatalities of any U.S. industry. Employing only about 8% of the workforce, construction accounts for approximately 20% of all private-sector workplace fatalities.
ABOUT BZI
Considered one of the top steel and construction organizations, the BZI® group of companies headquartered in Kanarraville, Utah, operates through three primary organizations: Building Zone Industries, LLC is responsible for steel erection, while BZI Steel, LLC specializes in steel fabrication. InnovaTech®, LLC specializes in designing, engineering and manufacturing innovative construction equipment and processes to enhance efficiency and safety on the job.
The company continues to receive numerous industry awards and accolades for its exceptional performance and contributions to its industries. The company has been the recipient of:
- USA TODAY 2026 Top Workplaces Leadership Award to CEO James Barlow
- USA TODAY 2026 #1 Top Workplaces for Frontline Workers
- USA TODAY 2026 #7 Top Workplaces for companies 500-999
- Seven Top Workplaces Excellence in Culture awards in 2026
- Top Workplaces 2026 Construction industry Award
- BZI’s President Thomas Harker honored in 2026 Utah Business Forty Under 40
- BZI named No. 6 in ENR’s List of Top 20 Steel Companies
- The Salt Lake Tribune named BZI No.3 Utah Top Workplaces 2025 for Large Businesses
- BZI®’s affiliate InnovaTech® — First place in the 2025 Utah Business Innovation Awards in the Industrial Manufacturing category
- No. 1 Construction Top Workplaces
- Inc. Best in Business 2024 for Construction: BZI Innovation Park
- USA Today’s Top Workplaces (Second year – Ranked No. 11 in the nation for midsize companies in 2025)
- Utah Business Fast 50 (No. 12 ranking)
- Top Workplaces Construction Industry Award
- Salt Lake City Tribune Top Workplaces for two years (No. 5 ranking in 2024)
- One Utah Summit “Rural Rockstar” Award presented by Utah Governor Cox
- Best Employer by Cedar City Chamber of Commerce
- CEO of the Year by Cedar City Chamber of Commerce
- CEO of the Year 2025 Award – Utah Business
- Trade Partner in Safety Excellence (Layton Construction)
BZI is a proud member of and accredited by AISC, an organization that has recognized BZI with its top safety award, the “Erector Award of Honor” multiple times. CEO James Barlow serves on the Forbes Business Council and Inc. Leadership Forum and is a recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award. Jakob Harker, President of InnovaTech, is a proud member of the Fast Company Executive Board, an organization of select senior executives, founders, business owners, and industry experts who are defining the future of business.
BZI’s mission is to revolutionize the steel construction industry through innovation and team performance, while accelerating project delivery and setting new standards in safety and efficiency.
BZI is completing and executing major construction projects across the United States and is recognized as a leading provider of innovative construction solutions nationwide. Its reputation for excellent client and operational performance is attracting premier companies from around the world. These organizations are building with BZI as a trade partner and bringing new economic opportunities across the U.S. through the many BZI projects. Top customer industries include data centers, e-commerce retail, manufacturing facilities for batteries, aerospace, microchips, electric vehicles and food and beverage.
Contacts
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Teresa@arcadepartners.io
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