Carol Hensley named as a 2026 SEAA Steel Strong Women in Construction Legacy Builder

We are proud to share that Carol Hensley, Vice President of Business Development at Cooper Steel, has been recognized as a Legacy Builder by the Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) for its 2026 Steel Strong Women in Construction program. Selected as one of seven out of dozens of nominees for this Women in Construction Week honor, Carol’s leadership, commitment to lifelong learning, and encouragement for new generations of women joining the industry truly set her apart.

Her career in the steel industry spans over 43 years, with more than 35 years of dedicated service at Cooper Steel. Her expertise was forged early, moving through key roles in detailing, purchasing, estimating, and project management before joining the Cooper Steel team in 1990 as Divisional Sales Manager.

In this role, she drove the successful opening of Cooper Steel’s Lexington, KY office location, where she hired a full team, established the Preconstruction Division to service the growing regional customer base, and maintained key customer relationships. She was also instrumental in championing the adoption of the Design-Build delivery system and leveraged her expertise to build a robust estimation process that provided competitive, detailed budget proposals. Now, as VP of Business Development, Carol continues to spearhead strategic growth and ensure the company’s sustained success.

“I enjoy the detail that goes into breaking down a structure into pieces and helping customers to evaluate value engineering options for their projects from that process,” she said of her work at Cooper Steel. “When you look at a building, it is remarkable to think that it requires a great deal of pieces to build, and you must evaluate each piece individually. Every project is different; every piece has its own detail and challenge for the brain to process – and I love that challenge.”

Her dedication to opportunities for women in construction can be seen through her leadership in her regional chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), where she has held all board positions and been a participating member for many years. She has also held board positions in the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and earned her Construction Documents Technology certification, showcasing her competencies both in trade and in technical advancements.

“I would encourage every woman to not be fearful to start in an entry role – start at any position, learn the business, observe what your coworkers are doing, and identify the role that is most exciting and challenging to you. Companies want people with passion and to provide you with the ability to grow,” Carol said.

“[Starting in the steel industry] I was surrounded by men that respected me and my ability to be a partner. I believe that to earn that respect, you have to be confident in yourself: know your worth and determination, take advantage of opportunities without hesitation, and know that when there are failures, there are more opportunities to reach for.”