If you attended ACPA’s Mid-Year Meeting, June 7 – 9, in Newport, Rhode Island, you already know it was a great success. Not only did we enjoy the favor of perfect weather in a picturesque seaside town, but we walked out of our meetings with clear direction on ACPA’s Strategic Plan and messaging on sustainability. Congratulations to the ACPA staff and its membership for a strong meeting that will forge a vision for this association for many years to come. Well done to all!

As noted, ACPA’s Board approved a Strategic Plan. The member-drafted plan represents more than six months of work from a committee that included voices from cement, contracting, equipment/materials suppliers, Chapter/State Executives, and staff. ACPA’s new plan focuses on objectives to grow membership, strengthen the Chapter/State network, invest in data access that helps us support our promoters at the state level, invest in emerging leaders, and position us as thought-leaders on sustainability and resiliency. It also empowers ACPA to expand our audience to more decision-makers and influential leaders to talk about low-bid contracts and other potential impediments to realizing the full benefits concrete pavements offer.

We also held two workshops at the meeting – Sustainability 501 and 502 – advanced “graduate-level” discussions on sustainability. As everyone has come to appreciate about ACPA, we lead on concrete paving technical expertise, but we have work to do in effectively communicating the benefits of our industry, products, and our hardworking association. So, to help better tell our story, ACPA has secured the services of an experienced marketing team that will develop messaging to influence decision-makers on the sustainability and resiliency benefits of concrete.

ACPA’s Eric Ferrebee, P.E., is actively working to streamline ACPA’s message on sustainability and is pulling together an industry task force to help ensure that our work with such things as EPDs is being accurately reflected in our communications. Further, the Portland Cement Association has done a wonderful job with the Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality. Those materials now need to be turned into something that the “boots-on-the-ground” (ACPA’s Chapter/State Executives) can utilize for promotion.

In other news, I had a terrific time connecting with the Concrete and Aggregates Association of Louisiana (CAAL) at their meeting in Destin, FL. Thank you to Michael Demouy and Alison Young for their hospitality and for allowing me to sit in on a jam-packed morning of technical sessions. Also, thank you to Jesse Jonas, P.E., Cindy Allen, and Chris Berroth of Koss Construction Company for inviting me to the MO/KS Chapter Board meeting. I always say the best part of my job is being away from D.C. and connecting with members to hear their first-hand stories about the work they do.

Remember, our Airport Workshop is August 2 – 4 in Indianapolis. Book your hotel now, and registration will be open soon. Also, save the date for our Annual Meeting in Nashville, November 29 – December 1, at the Omni Hotel.

Stories this week include a recap of the Mid-Year Meeting, details on the Airport Workshop, a reminder for the 2022 Excellence in Concrete Pavement Awards, and a look at a joint letter with the BuildStrong Coalition.

Cheers!