ROLLING OUT THE GREEN CARPET On February 5, 2024, Spotts Fain Consulting (SPC) organized the first-ever VAA Day at the Virginia General Assembly. Over several hours of meeting with numerous State Senators and Delegates, one theme was common—elected officials knew very little about Virginia’s asphalt industry. They didn’t know about the number of Virginians employed by industry or asphalt’s $3 billion annual contribution to the economy. This new knowledge was a call to action for VAA and members to roll out the green carpet. That call to action led to numerous asphalt plant tours over the Summer, starting with Delegate Buddy Fowler at the Allan Myers facility in Rockville and ending with Delegate Josh Cole at the Superior Paving Corporation Powell Lane Plant north of Fredericksburg. In between, plant tours were held from Abingdon to Norfolk to NOVA with Delegate Israel O’Quinn, Delegate Joe McNamara, Senator Danica Roem, Senator Angelia Williams-Graves, and Delegate Tim Griffin. While this was the initial round of plant visits, more are in the planning phase. Working with SPC, each visit was approximately two hours in length. The plant host welcomed the elected officials and their staff. The host discussed the company’s history and how they fit into the local community. Each person spoke about their tenure and role with the company. The elected officials spoke about their platforms and what they thought mattered. VAA provided an overview of the association and industry. Finally, the group talked about HB1524, introduced by Del. Lopez, the legislative study to look at ways to increase RAP in VDOT mixes, the environmental efforts undertaken by the company, and stressed the need to protect roadway workers. These issues were well received, and more discussions on these topics and initiatives will be held. The officials and staff were shown how an asphalt plant operates, and the asphalt mixes tested for quality. VAA Day and the 2024 Plant Tours were just the beginning for the asphalt industry. Efforts are underway to hold VAA Day 2025 at the General Assembly and attend events for elected officials throughout the year. As a large employer and contributor to local, regional and state economies, companies must share their stories with those elected to represent them. Delegate Buddy Fowler at Allan Myers Senator Angelia Williams-Graves at Virginia Paving's Norfolk Plant 26 FALL/WINTER 2024
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