The Utah Asphalt Pavement Association annual dinner serves as the kickoff to our annual conference each year, bringing together representation from every age group and level of experience across the industry. Families attend alongside industry professionals, creating an atmosphere that reflects the strong community within Utah’s asphalt industry. High school and college scholarship recipients join us as they begin their career journeys, while many other attendees are in the midst of their own asphalt careers, serving in both the private and public sectors.
Over the evening, we recognized the 2026 Industry Award winners, which included Wayne Nielson, our 2026 UAPA Hall of Fame inductee, and his family. Wayne has left a lasting legacy to our industry in so many ways.
Carlos Braceras, our UDOT Executive Director, attended as well, and we are all so grateful for his support of our association and the positive relationship we have with him and UDOT.
Over the past year, I have had the privilege of collaborating with my colleagues through the many UAPA committees. We have had a lot happening at UAPA, much of it driven by the leadership of our Executive Director, Rick Johnson, and his small but very capable staff. What they have accomplished this year is truly amazing.
In total, we have 17 UAPA committees that cover the industry from A to Z, including safety, training, innovation, workforce development, operations, and leadership. To give this some scope, we have 223 UAPA member volunteers give their time beyond their regular jobs to serve this association in a committee role.
Here is another impressive number: 241. That is how many people have attended our Asphalt Inspection courses since January 1. These are individuals learning about our industry and building their skills. I recently attended one of these courses, and our presenters did an outstanding job. They were engaging, provided such valuable content and had just enough relatable stories to make it fun. Thank you to Cory Bekkmellon, Dan McDaniel, Zac Rasmussen, and Skyler Mounteer, along with all our volunteer instructors.
Over the past 12 months, our Workforce Development initiative has gained real momentum. This committee works closely with schools and state partners, and their energy is contagious. Workforce Development is UAPA’s response to the 7:1 ratio — seven people leaving the industry for every one person entering. That is not acceptable for our industry, especially here in Utah, where we are growing as much as we are.
As an association, we are laser-focused on attracting people who value hard work, teamwork, and pride in building something with their own hands.
UAPA’s mission is to be the unified voice of the asphalt industry and promote quality pavements in Utah. Based on our partnerships, programs, and people, I am proud to say we are achieving that mission.
