2024 Annual Report
membership
Connect the industry by engaging members in NAPA’s crucial role advancing the asphalt pavement industry and convening the industry to address top issues.
Engage and grow membership by clearly articulating NAPA’s value and efforts through effective branding and communications and furthering the engagement goals of the national Advisory Council, represented by regions.
63
New Members
Flint Hills Resources
New Gold Club
(50+ Year) Member
Sunrock Industries LLC
& Dynapac North America
New 30+ Year Members
96%
Producer
retention rate
NAPA publications earn Platinum, Gold MarCom Awards
Member input once again led to NAPA receiving recognition among its peers, as the digital and print offerings rolled out in 2024 earned four MarCom Awards. NAPA 2024 received Platinum level recognition among association magazines for its introduction to the new offering of communications products NAPA rolled out. NAPA 2024 also won Gold for Branding Refresh, as did the NAPA Online Media Kit and NAPA Now.
NAPA Weekly averaged nearly 82,000 opens in 2024 and nearly 6,500 deliveries of the latest in NAPA and asphalt pavement news each week.
Digital readership is up
75%
to 12K readers
top articles
NAPA QUARTERLY
September 19, 2024
NCAT Round 8 Findings
The heavily laden tractor-trailers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University eclipsed the 11-million-mile mark during the Test
NAPA QUARTERLY
September 26, 2024
Leading by Example
NAPA Vice President for Engineering, Research, and Technology Richard Willis was in a familiar position.
NAPA QUARTERLY
March 27, 2024
Driven to Lead
NAPA Chairman Brady Meldrem’s career trajectory took him from truck driver to asphalt executive.
Most engaging article
Spring 2024
Maintaining Momentum
DATA-LED PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE FOR EQUIPMENT, ROADS CAN CHANGE THE INDUSTRY
As fleet manager, Dan Maitland is tasked with maintaining Ajax Paving Industries of Florida’s $34 million of equipment. Among the thousands of components that make up the 600-strong fleet, he knows that one failure can set back any number of projects, but Maitland doesn’t fret as much about surprises now that he and his team are putting data to work through B2W Maintain. The results: a 120 percent increase in average mean time between failures...
LEARN MORE
The Industry Becomes a Community at NAPA Meetings
Every year, NAPA engages with its members through in-person gatherings across the nation, sometimes to discuss technical details, and sometimes to network and plan the future of asphalt pavement. Leaders come with their best ideas and history has proven that this is how the innovations we never see coming get their start.
Mental Health Takes Center Stage
at Annual Meeting
A telephone call interrupted his plans. He can’t remember how long it took him to finally throw out the letters, but before he finally sought help, he continued to do what his dad had taught him.
“I laughed. I joked. I played it off. I said: I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m simply out for a car ride and I’ll be home in a few minutes,” he said.
Ajax Paving Industries of Florida President Vince Hafeli recognizes he is not an anomaly, by far. In fact, while two to three workers die daily on job sites, 10 to 15 die by suicide each day.
“Low-bid. Tight profit margins. Working in traffic. Tight schedules. It’s a tough industry,” he said.
Hafeli is applying what he has learned from traveling the country and sharing his story at his own company via the Ajax Warriors program, which deputizes supervisors as mental health emergency responders. Hafeli said a company’s most valuable asset is its people, so training supervisors to manage them is vital.
Suicide: By the Numbers
The industry’s endemic is evident in these national numbers collected in 2021.
Suicide rate per 100,000
Sorted by major occupational groups, construction and extraction workers had the most elevated suicide rate
Suicide rate in
construction per 100,000
Suicide rate in construction and
extraction workers per 100,000
Music City World of Asphalt
World of Asphalt returned to an even larger Music City Center show floor in Nashville, Tennessee in March.
AI: The Road to Efficiency
XBE CEO & Founder Sean Devine led a session titled AI: The Road to Efficiency, Insight, and Innovation in Asphalt.
LEARN MORE
World of Asphalt, AGG1 Shatter Records
A record number of asphalt and aggregates professionals convened in Nashville for the largest World of Asphalt and AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo in the show’s history.
LEARN MORE
IMPACT Leadership Group Heads to Washington
Co-locating the IMPACT Leadership Group’s annual conference with Hill Day in Washington, D.C. meant emerging leaders from the asphalt pavement industry gained expert and firsthand knowledge of the halls of power thanks to additional guests and programming supporting those advocacy efforts. Networking downtown at SPIN, a table tennis emporium, capped off activities that encouraged participants to work together to offer solutions for challenges facing the industry from work culture to hiring.
Coming in 2025
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Annual Meeting
Maui, Hawaii
February 2-5
Maximizing Profitability with Energy Management Workshop
Orlando, Florida
February 25-26
World of Asphalt
St. Louis, Missouri
March 25-27
Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-in
Washington, D.C.
May 6-8
Celebration of Construction on the National Mall
Washington, D.C.
May 14-16
Midyear Meeting
Louisville, Kentucky
July 8-11
NAPA IMPACT Leadership Group Conference
Savannah, Georgia
September 8-10
Hill Day
Washington, D.C.
September 17-18
International Conference on Decarbonization of Asphalt Pavements
Chicago, Illinois
September 23-24
Virtual Learning
And more topical webinars from the industry’s trusted sources, like the three-part series on airfields led by NAPA Director of Pavement Engineering & Innovation Jean-Paul Fort.
In the Lead
NAPA’s committees and volunteer leadership opportunities play an integral role in shaping the scope of the trade association’s work, and by extension, the priorities of an industry that employs about 150,000 nationwide. NAPA Quarterly profiled a half-dozen such leaders in its June issue. LEARN MORE
Convening and Communicating
Members Discuss Joint Challenges
Across Industry
NAPA’s Regional Advisory Councils continue to unite members on the challenges and solutions specific to each region of the country, and the semiannual Joint Advisory Council meetings serve as touchpoints for guiding NAPA and its members’ influence on the U.S. asphalt pavement industry.
NAPA Announces 17 New State Advisors
In 2024, NAPA announced 17 new state advisors, and the Advisory Council now includes representation from 49 states, plus Guam. Three-year terms begin in January 2025 for the new class of representatives, which includes:
Idaho: Josh Smith, Knife River Corporation – Mountain West
Illinois: James F. Trost, Gallagher Asphalt Corp.
Louisiana: Jason Latiolais, Barriere Construction Co., A CRH Co.
Maryland: Brian Russell, P. Flanigan & Sons Inc.
Massachusetts: Will Hadeka, Peckham Industries
Michigan: Jim Klett, Michigan Paving & Materials, A CRH Co.
Mississippi: Michael Frizzell, Lehman-Roberts Co.
Missouri: Brian Johanning, Superior Bowen
Montana: Pat Drynan, Helena Sand & Gravel and Montana Materials and Construction, A CRH Co.
Nebraska: Kyle Timmer, OMNI Engineering, A CRH Co.
Nevada: Marty McNamara, Granite Construction Inc.
New Hampshire: Ron Simbari, All States Construction Inc.
New Jersey: Peter Kochek, Weldon Materials
New Mexico: Hunter McLemore, K. Barnett and Sons
New York: Bill Schmitz, Gernatt Asphalt Products Inc.
North Dakota: Korey Bender, Border States Paving Inc.
Rhode Island: Gregory Lynch Jr., J.H. Lynch & Sons Inc.
NAPA Associate Member Council (AMC) Announces Leadership
The Associate Member Council serves as a vital link between NAPA and its associate members, which include suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and service providers within the asphalt industry. The council’s input helps shape the strategies and policies that enhance the overall effectiveness and success of the association. In October, the AMC announced the following officers:
CHAIR: Brodie Hutchins, Wirtgen America Inc.
VICE CHAIR: Kevin Adams, Caterpillar Inc.
SECRETARY: Kyle Neisen, Dynapac North America LLC
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR: Brit Blacklidge, Blacklidge
MEMBERS INCLUDE:
Andy Adamcik, Weiler
Eric Baker, ASTEC
Jennifer Bishop, Dynapac North America LLC
Chris Colwell, BOMAG Americas Inc.
Abdul Dahhan, Chicago Testing Laboratory
Cory Fuhrmann, Writgen America Inc.
Brian Handshoe, Kenco Engineering Inc.
Kristi Harris, LeeBoy ST Engineering
Steve Haughton, Cargill Asphalt Solutions
Jose Hernandez, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions Inc.
Jason Milacek, Owens Corning
Tanya Nash, Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering
Rachel Quam, Caterpillar Inc.
Craig Reynolds, Ingevity
Richard Steger, Ingevity
Jaco van der Merwe, ASTEC
Pat Weaver, Surface Tech LLC
IMPACT Identifies New Leaders
The IMPACT Leadership Group is dedicated to advancing the asphalt pavement industry through leadership, stewardship, and member engagement. The group is comprised of emerging leaders within the asphalt pavement industry who are poised to spearhead transformative initiatives.
2025 IMPACT OFFICERS
CHAIR: Aaron Parker, Silver Star Construction Co. Inc.
VICE CHAIR: Andy Decraene, Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, LLC
SECRETARY: Matthew Riggle, Louisville Paving & Construction Co.
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR: Mandy Gerken, Gerken Paving Inc.
IMPACT LEADERSHIP GROUP COMMUNITY
Molly Berry, Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering
Brit Blacklidge, Blacklidge
Kevin A. Boyd, Superior Paving Corp.
Joseph Caron, Peckham Industries Inc.
Jason Combs, Valley Asphalt Corp.
Steve Flaherty, necoTECH
Nelson Fleming, Construction Partners Inc.
Robbie Freels, Capital Materials LLC
Michael Frizzell, Lehman-Roberts, a Granite Co.
Don Gallagher, Gallagher Asphalt Corp.
Colton Ginn, Colas Inc.
David Greenburg, CRH Americas Materials Inc.
JohnPaul Loebs, The Walter R. Earle Corp.
Kerianne Melillo, Green Asphalt LLC
Jason Milacek, Owens Corning
Kyle Neisen, Dynapac North America LLC
Katie Peabody, CRH Americas Materials Inc.
Trevor Wagoner, ASTEC
Steve Weaver, Gerken Paving Inc.
Tommy Wilson, Wirtgen America Inc.
Tristan Wilson, Edgevanta
On the Road with NAPA
NAPA’s subject matter experts are often invited to speak across the nation and globe. 2024 saw NAPA staff visit 27 states, plus Canada and some international appearances.
NAPA President & CEO Speaks at E+E Congress in Budapest
NAPA President & CEO Audrey Copeland and Chairman of the NAPA Board of Directors Brady Meldrem attended the combined European Asphalt Pavement Association (EAPA) and Eurobitume (E+E) Congress event held in Hungary, June 19-21.
Paving Across America
NAPA left its mark across the nation in 2024. Here are the places we visited.
Places we visited
Alabama
Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New York
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Ontario, Canada
Budapest, Hungary
A SAMPLING OF TOPICS COVERED
National Officers, Board of Directors, & New Staff
2024 National Officers
Chairman
brady meldrem
Norris Asphalt
Paving Co.
FIRST Vice
Chair
Patrick Nelson
Lehman-Roberts,
a Granite Co.
second Vice
Chair
Jay lemon
haskell lemon
construction co.
secretary
Jason Duininck
Duininck Inc.
treasurer
Robert Doucet
Colas Inc.
2024 Board of Directors
Jean Azoury – All States Materials Group
Stanley Bass – Vulcan Materials Co.
Barnes Barton – CRH Americas Materials Inc., South Division
Kurt Bechthold – Payne & Dolan Inc., a Walbec Group Co.
Brit Blacklidge – Blacklidge
Brian Enders – Northeast Asphalt, a Walbec Group Co.
Dan Gallagher – Gallagher Asphalt Corp.
Daniel Garcia – C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc.
Mandy Gerken-Snyder – Gerken Paving Inc.
Vince Hafeli – Ajax Paving Industries of Florida LLC
John Harper – Wiregrass Construction Co. Inc., a Construction Partners Inc. Company
Rob Kuehborn – Central Specialties Inc.
Kyle Larkin – Central Specialties Inc.
Nika Mathis – Mago Construction Co.
James Mitchell – Superior Paving Corp.
Brad Oneglia – O&G Industries Inc.
Jordan Reed – Reed Family Companies
Ron Sines – CRH Americas Materials Inc.
Steven Warren – Warren Paving Inc.
David White – Superior Paving Corp.
James Winford – Prairie Contractors LLC
Christian Zimmermann – CRH Americas Materials Inc.
Audrey Copeland – National Asphalt Pavement Association
New Staff
Mitch Baldwin
Director, Government Affairs
Haywood Lewis
Manager, IMPACT Leadership & Awards Program, Membership
Seneca Diggs
Administrative Assistant, Engineering, Research & Technology
Raven Seth
Coordinator, NAPA Awards & Diamond Commendations, Membership
Amlan Mukherjee
(January 2025 )
Senior Director, Sustainability
and Intelligent Construction
Engineering, Research & Technology
Staff Anniversaries
5
YEARS
Melanie Richardson
Vice President, Finance & Operations
Noteworthy Accomplishments
Noteworthy Accomplishments
NAPA Asphalt Pavement Hall of Fame gets physical fixture in Greenbelt
Since 1986, extraordinary industry leaders have been honored with induction into the NAPA Hall of Fame. The vaunted list of NAPA’s most stalwart stewards has existed in many forms since its creation, and now it has a home in NAPA’s Greenbelt office. Visitors are encouraged to soak up the office’s asphalt-inspired aesthetic while browsing the Hall of Fame, which chronicles generations of the trade association’s leadership through NAPA’s most valuable asset: its members. NAPA staff also earned accolades in 2024: President & CEO Audrey Copeland was named an AAPT Fellow Member in recognition of her contributions to the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists and NAPA’s Government Affairs team landed two spots on The Hill’s Top Lobbyists 2024.
NAPA Summer Internship gives firsthand glimpse at the industry
Juliet Piacsek, a rising college freshman interested in civil engineering participated in NAPA’s 2024 summer internship program. Our summer intern learned the asphalt pavement industry from the perspective of its trade association under the direction of the Engineering, Research, & Technology team. She chronicled her “Summer with NAPA” for NAPA Now.
2023 IAPA Person of the Year
The Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association (IAPA) annually recognizes one non-member who has had a unique, positive impact on IAPA and the asphalt industry. The association announced in March APA Technical Director Buzz Powell as the 2023 IAPA Person of the Year!