Happy New Year. As we begin 2026, it feels appropriate to start the year with a few predictions—some easier to make than others—about what lies ahead for our industry and in Washington, DC.

First, I predict that the political climate on Capitol Hill will remain tense and uncertain. With this being an election year and margins already razor thin, governing will continue to be challenging. The House majority narrowed even further this past week with the passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01). Our thoughts are with his family, staff, and constituents as they mourn his loss. His death underscores just how fragile the balance of power is heading into this year. At the same time, the prospect of another government shutdown continues to loom, as new federal funding must be passed by the end of the month. The impacts on the enactment of an infrastructure bill will be an on-going topic of conversation.

Another prediction I feel confident making: as usual, we will be talking about concrete a lot this year—and it starts now. With World of Concrete and CONEXPO-CON/AGG both taking place in Las Vegas this quarter, concrete will be front and center across the construction and transportation communities. I encourage you to register for ACPA’s educational sessions at World of Concrete (a list of sessions is provided below) and to stop by the ACPA booth (C4330) to connect with staff and learn more about how we are advancing concrete pavement solutions nationwide. If you’re an ACPA member and you have a booth, we will be popping around to say hello this year, as usual!

Next week also brings one of our favorite annual traditions. ACPA will once again host its reception during the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. My prediction? A strong turnout and great conversations at this annual reception held at the Willard Hotel on January 12, as members and partners gather from across the country.

Finally, I predict a very successful year for ACPA’s Chapter State Workshops – which are always highly informative and professional. These meetings consistently deliver valuable content, meaningful dialogue, and practical insights tailored to state and chapter needs. We look forward to engaging discussions and strong participation throughout the year.

2026 Chapter State Workshop Schedule:

January 26-27, 2026        Count on Concrete Conference, Raleigh, NC
February 3-4, 2026          New York State Concrete Paving Conference, Clifton Park, NY
February 4-6, 2026          2026 ICPA 62nd Annual Workship, Des Moines, IA
February 12, 2026            Indiana Chapter ACPA 2026 PCCP Workshop, Indianapolis, IN
February 12-13, 2026     46th Annual WCPA Concrete Pavement Conference, Pewaukee, WI
February 17-18,  2026    2026 ILCPA Annual Meeting, Springfield, IL
February 18-19, 2026     28th Annual ACPA/PA Conference, Harrisburg, PA
February 18-19, 2026     2026 Michigan Concrete Association Annual Conference, Battle Creek, MI
February 23-25, 2026     46th Annual Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Conference, Kansas City, MO
March 10-11, 2026          Oklahoma Concrete Pavement Conference, Oklahoma City, OK
March 12,2026                 CO/WY Annual Concrete Pavement Workshop, Denver, CO
March 12-13, 2026          CPAM’s 65th Annual Concrete Paving Workshop, Breezy Point, MN
April 22, 2026                   California Concrete Pavement Conference, Davis, CA

As always, thank you for staying engaged and for being In the Mix. I look forward to seeing many of you in Las Vegas, Washington, and at workshops around the country in the months ahead. Drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

Cheers!

Save the Date – Upcoming ACPA National Events and Chapter/State Association Workshops:

Stay up to date on upcoming industry events with ACPA’s Calendar of Events. To submit your event details, please contact Vickie Spielman at vspielman@acpa.org.

January 12, 2026              TRB Reception, Washington, DC
January 20-22, 2026       World of Concrete, Las Vegas, NV
January 26-27, 2026        Count on Concrete Conference, Raleigh, NC
February 3-4, 2026          New York State Concrete Paving Conference, Clifton Park, NY
February 4-6, 2026          2026 ICPA 62nd Annual Workship, Des Moines, IA
February 12, 2026            Indiana Chapter ACPA 2026 PCCP Workshop, Indianapolis, IN
February 12-13, 2026     46th Annual WCPA Concrete Pavement Conference, Pewaukee, WI
February 17-18,  2026    2026 ILCPA Annual Meeting, Springfield, IL
February 18-19, 2026     28th Annual ACPA/PA Conference, Harrisburg, PA
February 18-19, 2026     2026 Michigan Concrete Association Annual Conference, Battle Creek, MI
February 23-25, 2026     46th Annual Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Conference, Kansas City, MO
March 3-6, 2026               Con-Agg, Las Vegas, NV
March 10-11, 2026          Oklahoma Concrete Pavement Conference, Oklahoma City, OK
March 12,2026                 CO/WY Annual Concrete Pavement Workshop, Denver, CO
March 12-13, 2026          CPAM’s 65th Annual Concrete Paving Workshop, Breezy Point, MN
April 22, 2026                   California Concrete Pavement Conference, Davis, CA
May 12-13, 2026              TCC Fly In, Washington, DC