As demand surges in commercial construction sectors like logistics, distribution, and mission-critical infrastructure, Bentonville, Arkansas-based Caddell Construction is doubling down on its national growth strategy—anchored by a key leadership shift and a client-focused expansion model.

The company has promoted Ricky Byrd to serve as the first-ever president of its commercial division, according to a company release dated May 16. The move comes as the contractor looks to build on rapid growth that has seen its commercial business scale to $350 million in annual revenue, with expectations to hit $450 million by year’s end.

Byrd, who joined Caddell in 2017 and most recently served as senior vice president, has led the division through a significant transformation. Under his leadership, Caddell opened new offices in Atlanta, Phoenix, and Jacksonville, Florida, with another office expected to debut in late 2025.

In an interview with Construction Dive, Byrd credited the company’s people-first strategy and its long-term client partnerships as the dual engines behind its 110% growth over the past three years.

“There are two main things that have driven our steady growth over the last three years, and they will continue to drive our growth into the future,” Byrd said.

“First, and most importantly, it’s our people and our commitment to talent development. One way we really stand out is that we don’t take on new work without the right team in place to execute it the way that we expect. We have been committed to growing and developing talent to ensure we can serve our clients’ needs.”

“Secondly, we focus on clients with long-term repeat business, so we can grow teams around them to become an integral partner in their business. Client-based teams are extremely beneficial for our customers and for our workforce.”

Growth That Follows the Client

Caddell’s commercial arm primarily works on distribution centers, logistics hubs, mission-critical facilities for Fortune 50 clients, and K-12 school construction in Arkansas. Rather than chasing geographic expansion for its own sake, the firm chooses new office locations based on where its long-term clients require support.

“We focus on going to locations where our clients need us — that’s really the impetus more than growing our book of business in a particular area,” Byrd said.

“Office locations are meant to be talent hubs and are truly an expansion of our people rather than an expansion of our footprint.”

He added that opening in larger metropolitan areas provides access to a wider talent pool while also creating future growth potential.

Market Outlook and Emerging Trends

Looking ahead, Byrd remains optimistic about Caddell’s core markets.

“All of these areas in the industry are experiencing growth, and that growth should continue, especially in the mission-critical sector,” he said.

“We continue to grow and develop our teams around our clients in order to grow with them. Executing and doing a great job will help our clients achieve their goals.”

He emphasized that the ability to adapt to clients’ evolving needs is central to the company’s strategy, as clients diversify the types of buildings they require over time.

Caddell’s future goals include the opening of a fourth new office by the end of 2025 and achieving sustainable, year-over-year growth with a focus on repeat clients.

“We continually strive to be an industry leader in safety and quality,” Byrd said.

“Another goal is to achieve sustainable year-over-year growth with our current clientele as our client-based teams earn repeat business.”

Prefab and AI: The Next Frontier

Like many forward-looking contractors, Caddell is also tracking emerging construction trends that may shape its operations in the near future. Among them: increased use of prefabrication in mission-critical environments and artificial intelligence to manage rising labor costs.

“One thing we’ve seen lately is that clients in mission-critical environments are trying to increase the amount of prefabrication in their buildings to offset the strain on skilled labor,” Byrd said.

“Another trend is the use of artificial intelligence in construction, which has the potential to change the industry. There are severe labor strains in the market that drive costs up. AI has the potential to drive more efficiencies and reduce cost in the future. We need to stay in front of this trend and take advantage of it when it makes sense.”

With a blend of client loyalty, strategic hiring, and innovation, Byrd and Caddell Construction aim to keep the company’s commercial arm growing—without compromising on quality, safety, or service.

Originally reported by Sebastian Obando in Construction Dive.