After 26 years, Valentin V. Tepordei is stepping down as the crushed stone specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey. Over the decades, he has made many positive contributions to the aggregates industries in both Europe and the United States. But even in his retirement, Tepordei is likely to continue etching his name into the rock business.

Tepordei began his career in Romania where he earned his master's degree in Geological Engineering. Later he earned a master of science in administration from Central Michigan University. In Europe, during the 1960s, he worked as a production manager and consulting geological engineer, which he continued as in the United States in 1970. He says his final assignment in the private sector was working as the geological engineer and assistant project manager for the Washington, D.C., subway system.

He joined the U.S. Bureau of Mines as the sand and gravel commodity specialist in 1979, and became the crushed stone commodity specialist in 1982. When the bureau closed in 1995, he was transferred to the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Va.

His most significant accomplishments were achieved working with the USGS. In 1989 Tepordei began drafting plans for the first quarterly sample survey of aggregate producers (see page 18). It is a survey that has become a powerful indicator of the state of the industry, particularly in terms of volume produced. The Federal Reserve Board, the aggregates industry and related fields, economists and investors now rely on this information.

“This way they know exactly what is happening with production,” he says. “I get calls every quarter from Wall Street people asking when the report is coming out.”

Tepordei also helped coordinate the first USGS Atlas of the Aggregates Industry, which is available on an interactive CD-ROM. The atlas is co-produced by the Geological Survey and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association.

For his continued efforts, Tepordei has been formally recognized on several occasions. He is the recipient of the 1988 Rock Products Register Award. The Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award recognized Tepordei in 2003 for his work with the federal government.

But despite his recent retirement and history of achievements, Tepordei will not rest. He says that he will continue working with the USGS on some special projects as a scientist emeritus. With the extra time, Tepordei hopes to have his quarterly report recognized as an economic indicator for the construction industry by the Office of Management and Budget. At the March NSSGA annual convention there will be a special meeting recognizing his work, Tepordei says. There he will make an appeal to encourage other industry members to push it through.

“We have to work a little bit harder and get this report recognized as an economic indicator because it deserves that,” he says.