Hall of Fame Winner: John Parson, CRH Americans Materials
The following article about John Parson originally appeared Feb. 18, 2022, in the CRH Feel Good Friday Newsletter. The title was John Parson Inducted into Utah Asphalt Hall of Fame. It has been edited lightly and is reprinted here with permission from John Parson.
When UAPA was formed, I was involved in our local leadership and recognized the need for and potential benefit of a local asphalt association. We considered it a great opportunity to consolidate the many voices of the industry, be they producer, supplier, associate or affiliate members. UAPA gives members an opportunity to provide a unified voice and consistent platform for educational purposes and allows us to make specification and policy recommendations. It is also an opportunity to promote the benefits and share advancements of the ever-growing asphalt industry.
John Parson, former CEO of Staker Parson Materials & Construction and senior leader of CRH Americas Materials, was inducted into the Utah Asphalt Hall of Fame Feb. 2, 2022, at the Utah Asphalt Pavement Association’s Annual Conference. The Utah Asphalt Pavement Hall of Fame Inductee is chosen each year from among industry representatives and peers as someone who has significantly contributed to the betterment of the asphalt pavement industry in Utah. It is presented to an individual who actively fostered and demonstrated vision and dedication in advancing the asphalt pavement industry and overall investment in quality infrastructure for the state of Utah.
John grew up in Brigham City, Utah. His grandfather, Jack B. Parson, founded Jack B. Parson Companies in 1952. He started working in the industry as a teenager, weighing and ticketing trucks at the Brigham City pit. In high school and college, he worked in the shop, on a crusher and an asphalt paving crew. He graduated from Utah State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and began working in supervisory and management roles.
John was instrumental in guiding the sale and integration of Jack B. Parson Companies to CRH in 1996. He led the company as President from 1996 to 2002 when Staker & Parson Companies was formed. He served as President of the combined companies from 2002 to 2006. From 2006 to his semi-retirement in 2018, John was tapped for a series of expanding leadership roles, including West Division President, West Chief Operating Officer, and President of Performance Improvement. John led much of CRH’s growth in the West, built from over 100 acquisitions. He currently mentors and coaches developing leaders throughout the U.S. by helping them prepare and progress through CRH leadership positions.
John has served on the boards of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah, including representing the AGC in the first “Partnering” effort with the Utah Department of Transportation. He was an early advocate of practices that have become industry standards, including the use of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and warm-mix asphalt.
Family means the world to John, and he has been married to Dottie Campbell for 42 years. They have six children and 16 grandchildren, and they reside in Huntsville, Utah. John enjoys fly-fishing, hunting, golf, skiing, and spending time with his ever-growing family.
John is the second Staker Parson team member to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Val Staker, the former CEO of Staker Parson Materials & Construction, who retired in 2001, was inducted in 2016.
