Building Community in Recovery at Work

JHL Constructors (Englewood, Colorado) was founded in 1987 as a general contractor building various project occupancies in multiple sectors of vertical construction. In 2016, the company began its civil construction division and expanded into bridges and other infrastructure, including municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Today, the company continues as a fully integrated, diversified general contractor with expertise in complex design/build projects.

That commitment to building strong infrastructure mirrors the work of SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic), a national nonprofit focused on preventing overdose and supporting mental health and recovery in workplaces and communities. SAFE Project partners with employers across multiple industries to help create environments where safety extends beyond the jobsite and into the well-being of the people who make the work possible.

JHL’s growth and longevity reflect how leadership, innovation and a focus on people can coexist at scale, a principle at the heart of SAFE Project’s work nationwide.

A Growing Reputation for Excellence

JHL’s commitment to building excellence is clear: The company has been recognized seven times by the American Subcontractors Association as “General Contractor of the Year” in its size classification. Moreover, in 2022, Engineering-News Record magazine named JHL “Contractor of the Year” for the Rocky Mountain states region.

The company is known for its value-driven, people-first culture, even as it has grown significantly. JHL Constructors has maintained its feel as a “small company” despite its steady growth from 100 employees in 2018 to approximately 350 in 2025. Under the leadership of Corporate Safety Director Heather Gutierrez, JHL established a reputation for its strong occupational health and safety program. The company also achieved accolades for its leadership in workplace mental health, suicide and overdose prevention, and for promoting recovery friendly practices.

Recovery-Friendly Culture Emerges After Family Tragedy

This commitment to safety and care became deeply personal for JHL when Heather faced an unthinkable loss. In March 2022, she lost her 17-year-old son, Tai, to a fentanyl overdose — a tragedy her family knows far too well. Heather is an outspoken champion for substance use recovery and overdose prevention and reversal using naloxone.

Heather shared how “amazingly supportive” CEO and President Ben Stellor has been of her efforts to help other families avoid the pain her family knows firsthand. Ben shares this commitment.

Heather recalls him saying, “I’ve had people very close to me struggle with substance abuse and mental health challenges.” Ben had felt and witnessed the impact on their families, friends and communities. “He said, ‘True, sustained recovery can be a monumental challenge, and everyone deserves the support they need to truly start a new chapter,’” Heather recalled.

She described JHL as more than just a company: “It’s a family in the truest sense. Like any family, we sometimes face contention, but the support we offer one another is unwavering.”

“When I lost my son Tai at 17 to a fentanyl overdose, that bond became profoundly real. In the midst of my grief, our Director of Culture Sarah Stellor reminded me of the strength within our community.” Heather shared that Sarah told her, “You’ve taken care of us and guided us through COVID. Now, let us take care of you.”

Stalwart Support for Recovery From President & CEO

Ben has been president and CEO since 2012. Through his encouragement, Heather and many peers actively advocate for substance use prevention, harm reduction and overdose reversal. JHL Constructors is a leading voice of advocacy of naloxone in workplaces and on jobsites.

Ben states that he is willing to be so visible, vocal and vulnerable about this support. “Silence on these issues is the worst thing our industry can do, if we are truly committed to change,” he said. “These are hard issues to talk about, but leaders must demonstrate they care and that it is OK to speak up, that help is available and that coworkers are an essential part of the support structure through periods of sustained positive change.”

For Ben, the human case and the business case are the same. “The well-being of our people comes first,” he said. “Genuinely supporting recovery reduces risk, improves morale and strengthens trust.”

He openly admits to not readily recognizing how transformative this culture is in promoting recovery — he initially did not realize how impactful leading by example would be for the industry as a whole.

Ben confided, “At first, I didn’t understand this, but after really getting to know some of our team members who have been impacted by these issues, now I do, and it’s beyond humbling. We hope our approach and culture around this topic will genuinely help drive change not only for JHL, but for the entire industry.”

Building Blocks of JHL’s Recovery-Friendly Culture

JHL’s culture is built on openness, empathy and proactive support. Employees are encouraged to speak up without fear of stigma, while leadership models vulnerability by addressing these issues publicly. This commitment is reinforced through policies that allow flexible scheduling for treatment, recovery meetings and follow-up appointments — helping employees maintain employment while prioritizing their health.

JHL also fosters peer networks of employees with lived experience, offering mentorship and encouragement. These programs reduce isolation and promote resilience, echoing evidence-based models recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Beyond internal policies, JHL extends its recovery-friendly approach to community advocacy. Through partnerships with organizations like Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and American Subcontractors Association of Colorado (ASAC), as well as participation in statewide recovery-friendly workplace programs, JHL amplifies its impact and encourages other contractors to adopt similar practices.

The company’s active community involvement spans global volunteerism, charity fundraising and inclusive workforce development. These efforts align with JHL’s core values of integrity, passion, commitment and performance to build stronger communities.

JHL was a recovery-friendly workplace long before that concept became widely recognized. At JHL, the commitment to each other’s well-being goes beyond words — it’s lived every day, in every moment of challenge and triumph.