UAPA has had 10 active presidents to steer their ship, one per year since its inception. Their first president, Craig Fabrizio, led the way not just for one year in 2011 but again in 2014. And the second person to hold the seat, Waylund Ludlow, also served twice, in 2012 and 2017. Succeeding presidents for the association include Joe Johnson (2013), Dale Hansen (2015), Aaron Edwards (2016), Scott Fernald (2018), Jaden Kemp (2019), the current president, Jeff Collard (2020-2022), and the incoming president, Doug Watson (2022-2023).
Mr. Ludlow said in 2017, he “truly believe[s] that when we come together as an industry, we amplify the best of the collective, and we all benefit.” Indeed, this has been the case for UAPA. When past presidents were asked about the most rewarding part of their careers, Mr. Fernald stated it was “the people.” He said that “the results of teamwork and collaboration are immediate and tangible.” Mr. Ludlow stated it was “seeing a project come to fruition.” Mr. Kemp also credited the people with whom he worked to be the most rewarding, as well as the relationships he formed. When he reflected on his career and its varied and differing moments “it always comes back to the people you did it with,” he stated.
Current president, Mr. Collard, attributes his best career moments to his various relationships within the industry as well. He believes “we’re all a product of the people we have met and been inspired by. A lot of the people who have made an impact in my career have been people I met through the association.” Incoming president Mr. Watson stated without equivocation that it is “the people” who are the most rewarding part, and when dealing with the challenge of both sides of a project, it’s “rewarding to see a good solution based on good specifications.”
IMPACTS
Since “people” appear to be the driving force for our presidents, both past and present, curiosity was piqued when discussing specific individuals who most impacted our presidents’ careers. Mr. Ludlow explained that Al Schellenberg, the past president of Geneva Rock, was of major significance in his life; “Al was the epitome of integrity.” He valued his people, and all-around him knew it and were inspired to do their best work. And when Al said he was going to do something, he did it; this trait rubbed off on those around him.
When the same question was asked of Mr. Fernald about who impacted his career, he stated Mont Wilson at Granite Construction, Inc. without equivocation. Mr. Wilson has been inducted into the Utah Asphalt Hall of Fame, so great is his work and influence on others. Mont mentored Mr. Fernald in many ways, from interpersonal skills to how to approach the work one performed. Mont was a big part in Mr. Fernald’s personal evolution – not only professionally but also personally. The net he cast was wide and generous, and many of the workers at Granite benefited from knowing him. In the words of Mr. Fernald, Mont was the “ultimate ‘pay it forward’ guy.”
The individual who most impacted Mr. Kemp was someone much closer to him than a co-worker or a boss. It was his own father, Judd Kemp. Judd wasn’t a fan of television, played a bit of golf, skied less than he wanted to, but his actual hobby was business. He was passionate about it. When the two of them spent time together, that’s what they discussed: business. Judd instilled into him the importance of honesty and mutual respect – Mr. Kemp the younger hopes – and some business savvy.
Mr. Collard described several individuals who impacted him and his career. When discussing what he called “stepping stones” in his career, he said it was Frank Mayfield and Kim Brooks from Staker Parson Materials & Construction and John Butterfield with UDOT. All three paved the way for him (pun intended) and helped him lay out his career. Frank taught him about the makeup of asphalt and how to build and design well-performing pavement and keep the asphalt within specifications for a longer-lasting road. Kim taught specifically about asphalt plants, and Mr. Collard stated he will always be grateful for his advice and mentorship over the years. John from UDOT taught him to rely on common sense and to look at the big picture. He explained that there are two sides – and sometimes more – to a construction project and that the bigger the project, the more sides it seems to have. Being able to see a project through the eyes of all stakeholders takes patience, the ability to ask the right questions, and listen to the answers.
Mr. Watson was impacted significantly by a group of engineers at Granite Construction, Inc. specifically John Epps and Adam Hand. They gave him all of the “industry geek” he craved, as much as his brain could take. He called it his “one personal asphalt graduate program.”
WISDOM
When asked about experiences impacting their careers as association leaders and what they would pass on to the next generation within the industry, the five presidents, past and present, offered a list of advice.
- Mr. Ludlow suggested one needs to value people working for and with you. Be honest, he said, and live your life with integrity. Finally, he asked that you be present. Give others the gift of your attention.
- Mr. Fernald said to ask questions and learn all that you can, appreciate others and give thanks. Communicate. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. And always have a plan B.
- Mr. Kemp emphasized the value of hard work. He claimed that when one worked on developing skills, the passion will follow. And finally, he stated how important it is to look above and below – ask for help and be generous when helping others.
- Mr. Collard explained that you cannot be afraid of hard work; be willing to put in the time. Ask questions; don’t feel bad if you have to say, “I don’t know.” And also, surround yourself with good people.
- Mr. Watson said first: have honor. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Next, develop the art of perspective. And lastly, learn your trade and always be on the lookout for knowledge.
ADVANTAGES
When discussing the benefits of UAPA membership, our past presidents had various opinions and considerations. However, they were unanimous on one subject: unification. As outlined in the Mission Statement, having a unified voice is vital. As Mr. Collard said, being unified has “helped raise the standard within the field.” Mr. Fernald agrees, stating the industry has a lot of moving parts and “being on the same page as an industry is very important.”
Going beyond discussions of being a unified force, Mr. Kemp offered his thoughts. He stated that if you are not a member of UAPA or are a member but not engaged as you could be, you may be missing out on opportunities to make you and your business better. Benefits, he said, ranging from networking to educational opportunities, are all exceptional. Personally, he went on, “if you are not better today than you were yesterday, you have wasted a day.” Membership in any organization or association in your industry improves your odds of being better.
Mr. Watson explained his belief that the biggest benefit is the education received, the day-to-day learning that comes from paying attention and participating. “There’s learning to be done,” he said. “It’s not about large-scale battles … UAPA is an organization of education.”
And Mr. Collard added more perspective when stating that companies can collaborate more and individuals can learn from one another. “It’s not just what’s good for a few companies,” he explained. “It’s about the companies within the industry prospering … owners are reaping the benefits by receiving pavements that last longer, with better maintenance plans.” His final thought on the issue was that UAPA promotes education and best practices across the board. Membership sets a higher bar for the industry as a whole.
“It’s been,” he said, “a good thing.”
We are happy to celebrate 10 years of success, and we couldn’t have done it without you, our members. Our presidents, past and present, have set us on a path of forward momentum that will push us toward 10 more years of success and 10 more beyond that, and, well, you get the picture.
EDUCATION and LEARNING
Although our presidents have various college degrees, formal education is not a barrier to advancement in this industry. Asphalt pavement companies care more about a desire to work and learn than they do about degrees. Hard workers can get top positions with or without formal education. And the variety of jobs offered by the asphalt pavement industry is distinguished: bid preparation, contracts administration, asphalt testing, project management, heavy machinery operation, maintenance, and advertisements, are just a few of the jobs this industry provides. Our presidents explain that in an industry as diverse as this one, the only thing holding a person back would be that person him/herself.
The education and employment experience of UAPAs presidents is diverse: construction, trucking, project management, asphalt inspections, and laboratory work. This shows that a group of contrasting differing individuals can pull together their collective abilities for the greater good and work together dynamically.
But why should someone consider a career in asphalt pavement? If one were to ask one or more of the past or present presidents, they might first tell you that this industry provides higher-paying jobs than most and that workers on many asphalt projects are paid wages over $30 per hour. And job security is at the top of their list, too. Asphalt pavement jobs cannot be outsourced to other countries, and roads are built and maintained by people who live and work in the local community. There are miles and miles of roads in need of repair or replacement, and more workers are expected to retire than can be replaced in the near future.
FUTURE
An important sector of any association is how they look to the future, both near and not-so-near. UAPA as a whole realizes that to move forward, they must appreciate the lessons of the past. Our UAPA presidents were happy to share what they believed to be the dominant trends within the industry in the next five to ten years.
“I think a lot of the focus in future years will be on specifications,” said Mr. Watson. “It has to be.” And infrastructure, he declared, certainly needs attention. Needing lasting outcomes and more value for the dollar is also important. “The infrastructure funding … being allocated is an investment,” he says, “and we need to be good stewards.” But he also warns: “We need to do better.”
Mr. Ludlow, having been president in both 2012 and 2017, offered a unique perspective developed from his two years at the helm. When asked about trends for UAPA, he explained that quality and innovation would be at the forefront of the industry. Right behind that, he said, will be the expectation of quality materials. “It’s a natural evolution to get better at what we do.”
Mr. Fernald stated the dominant trends would be population and, like Mr. Watson, infrastructure growth – which, he claims – we’re already seeing. As Utah is a desirable place to live and work, we’re going to need a skilled workforce to build all the infrastructure necessary for the growth and maintenance of existing roadways. “New technologies will also provide better, faster, and more efficient ways to do our work.”
Mr. Kemp is hopeful that UAPA will see more collaboration as an industry on products and processes. He, like Mr. Fernald, mentions population and infrastructure as a vital part of the future, stating, “We’re going to have to get better at what we do and how we do it.” And he also brought up the issue of our oil supply and the alternatives in that area.
Finally, Mr. Collard believes he, like UAPA, wants to improve and be better. He thinks we are likely to see more performance-based products in the future. As technology becomes more of a factor in our transportation, roads will need to advance too. “Infrastructure is important to our overall economy,” he says, “so it’s definitely a field that will see growth.”
OBJECTIVES
Over the past 10 years since the inception of UAPA, the association’s objectives have never wavered. And if one were to speak to the current – or even past – presidents, they would tell you how steadfast UAPA is in obtaining these objectives.
- PROMOTE the use of asphalt as the premier material for road construction and maintenance.
- EDUCATE, monitor and lobby about asphalt and its benefits to the community.
- UNIFY by working as a consolidated voice with UDOT and local government agencies throughout Utah.
- PROVIDE return on investment through increased market share, innovation, education and fair market principles.
- MARKET asphalt to all agencies in their pavement selection process.
- EXPAND the information and communication network between members, customers, the legislature, and government agencies.
GROWTH
But how does UAPA grow from here?
Over the next several years, they plan to continue with their Asphalt Inspection Certification Program as more and more owners are becoming aware of the need to increase their knowledge related to the design, production, and inspection of pavements. UAPA will continue to teach about the differences in asphalt mixes, applications, production, and placement in the field.
Additionally, they will continue to hold their frequent (and free) Lunch and Learn programs, wherein they help members stay current about industry changes, new products, and innovations. They provide industry networking opportunities and help members with the right tools to make correct decisions about their work. Find out more about this program here: utahasphalt.org/education.
Finally, they will continue to offer a yearly multiple $1,500 scholarships per year to help ensure the future of the asphalt pavement industry in Utah. For more details about the scholarship offered, go to utahasphalt.org/scholarships.
CONCLUSION
We are happy to celebrate 10 years of success, and we could not have done it without you, our members. All of our presidents, past and present, have worked hard to set us on a path forward full of momentum pushing us towards new heights and many more years of success. To these presidents – all of them – we say thank you for your service, dedication, and vision towards UAPA!
Happy 10th Anniversary, Utah Asphalt Pavement Association!
