In agribusiness, Cardon’s performance was equally outstanding. After assuming a leadership role in Arizona Flour Mills, he quickly recognized that success depended not only on perfecting production performance, but also on business acumen, marketing, and policy decisions. The establishment of Arizona Feeds in 1967 was a high point in Cardon’s illustrious career and he remained Chairman until retirement in 1980. During this period, Cardon’s career expanded enormously, while his technical and business leadership became recognized nationally and internationally. He made breakthrough innovations in cattle feeding, livestock management, and marketing of animal products. Cardon shared his experience in animal nutrition and product development throughout Arizona and beyond—consulting with U.S. firms and businesses in Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Cardon’s ultimate—and perhaps greatest—contribution to his native state of Arizona has been through public service. As a leader in agriculture, he served on numerous committees, boards, and public institutional groups—including the Governor’s 1980 task force that authored the monumental 1980 Groundwater Management Act governing water use in Arizona. His many awards include the Distinguished Service Award from the American Feed Manufacturers; honorary Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science; “Man of the Year” by Progressive Farmer; the Lifetime Achievement Award from the College of Agriculture; and an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Arizona. The headquarters building at the Maricopa Agricultural Center—the University’s major experimental farm—bears his name: the Bartley P. Cardon Agricultural Research Building. In 1997, a groundswell movement by friends and colleagues resulted in the creation of the Bartley P. Cardon Endowment for Agricultural and Resource Economics. Cardon selected the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics to house this endowment and accompanying endowed chair. The Department is proud to have been given this honor.