Awards

Nomination Deadline is January 8th, 2027

Award Applications

2026 UAPA Excellence in Safety Award

We are excited to announce the “Call for Submittals” for the Utah Asphalt Pavement Association’s Excellence In Safety Award (EISA). This initiative seeks to recognize outstanding commitment, innovation, and achievement in promoting safety within our industry. We invite UAPA member companies and partnering organizations to share their safety programs, success stories, or initiatives for consideration.

The UAPA EISA recognition program is a key component of a structured, consistent, and on-going program that will build a safety culture within the asphalt paving industry in Utah. The award recognizes those member companies who are dedicated to high performance safety standards within their companies.

In addition, the UAPA EISA program, through education, will encourage and support member companies needing to develop their own safety standards and culture. This is a prime opportunity to celebrate your efforts, inspire others, and be acknowledged for your dedication to safety excellence as we elevate safety within the Utah asphalt paving environment.

Nominate your Company for its Achievements in Safety Excellence

Deadline: January 8, 2026

Safety Nomination Form

Hall of Fame Inductees

The Utah Asphalt Pavement Hall of Fame Inductee is chosen each year from among industry representatives and peers as someone who has significantly contributed to the betterment of the asphalt pavement industry in Utah. It is presented to an individual who actively fostered and demonstrated vision and dedication in advancing the asphalt pavement industry and overall investment in quality infrastructure for the state of Utah.

The chosen inductee has a strong record of supporting policies and practices throughout their career that lowered the costs of doing business while reflecting industry values of responsible, safe and ethical business practices. This year’s Hall of Fame winner is Wayne Nielson.

2026 Inductee

Wayne Nielson

To say that Wayne Nielson is the heart and soul of Nielson Construction is perhaps an understatement. For most of his adult life, Wayne has been at the helm of the family-owned company, guiding it with steady leadership, uncompromising values and an unwavering commitment to people. In February, during UAC26’, that lifetime of dedication was honored as Wayne was inducted into the UAPA Hall of Fame.

Born in Price, Utah, and raised in Huntington, Wayne describes himself simply as a “farm boy.” He is the fourth of six children and grew up working alongside his father, John C. Nielson. John founded Nielsen Construction with little more than grit, determination and a $400 Army-surplus bulldozer purchased after World War II. Wayne credits his father for instilling a strong work ethic in him. As a child, he sometimes thought the long days of work were a punishment. With time and perspective, those memories turned into gratitude. His mother, equally influential, taught him the importance of kindness, humility and always saying thank you — qualities that Wayne carried into every aspect of his life.

After graduating from Emery High School, Wayne became an integral part of the growing company, eventually taking the helm from his father. Under his leadership, Nielson Construction stayed steady through some difficult years, eventually experiencing unprecedented growth. What began as a small excavation and mine development company quickly evolved into a diversified multi-faceted construction enterprise employing nearly 400 people and becoming the largest locally owned employer in Carbon and Emery counties.

Wayne’s vision was one of expansion and diversification, so the company could weather economic storms while continuing to meet its customers' needs. Today, Nielson Construction’s capabilities span from road construction, asphalt production and paving to oil and gas field services, trucking, concrete operations, poly-pipe fusion, heavy excavation, crane services and certified welding.

Despite the company’s size, Wayne never lost his hands-on approach. He was the first to arrive at work and the last to leave, always meticulous about the details and deeply involved in everything from bidding and project development to quality control and safety. He led by example, inspiring those around him through his actions rather than his words.

Safety was always personal for Wayne; he practiced what he preached. Tragically, in 2011, Nielson Construction suffered two fatalities within 40 hours on a nighttime paving project outside of Price on Highway 10. Both tragedies were caused by impaired drivers passing through the construction zone. The loss of a longtime flagger and a young laborer shook the company to its core. In the aftermath, Wayne witnessed his employees come together in extraordinary compassion, voluntarily giving from their own paychecks to support the families affected. It remains one of the moments that most profoundly shaped his leadership and reinforced the importance of unity, care and responsibility within the industry.

Family has always been a guiding force behind Wayne’s decisions. He and his wife, Teresa, are high school sweethearts who will be celebrating 50 years of marriage this July. Together, they raised four children and are proud grandparents to 14 grandchildren.

When asked what being inducted into the UAPA Hall of Fame means to him, Wayne calls it humbling. He is never one to seek the spotlight and is quick to credit God, his family and the incredible people who worked alongside him. In his own words, his life has always followed a simple order: God first, family second and work third.

It is that clarity of purpose — paired with decades of leadership, integrity and service — that makes Wayne Nielson a truly deserving Hall of Fame inductee. His legacy is not just found in roads paved or projects completed, but in lives impacted, communities strengthened and values passed from one generation to the next.