Everything is bigger in Texas, and the annual National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association’s Young Leaders (YL) meeting was no exception. Last week’s gathering in Austin was the largest YL meeting to-date with nearly 190 registered attendees, including Rock Products’ Associate Editor Josephine Smith.
Things kicked off Thursday, April 28 with a tour of Summit Materials’ Hays Quarry, one of the first quarries in Texas to go to a dry dust-suppression system. Tour attendees also witnessed a small blast to the delight of many. After lunch, the group split with about 50 volunteering for a community project in partnership with the Austin Parks Foundation at Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, and the rest for a team-building event at TopGolf.
Rock Products was the proud sponsor of this year’s Mark S. Walsh Leadership Award, which was presented to Rod Martin of Martin Stone Quarries Thursday evening.
The general sessions were held Friday and Saturday mornings with speakers that included 2015-2016 YL Chairman Brian Mahavier of U.S. Concrete; NSSGA Chairman Hal F. Williford, Jr.; Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association President Richard Szecsy; former Cemex USA President Karl Watson, Jr.; Oldcastle Materials VP of Government Affairs Ryan Lindsey; Dolese Bros. Co. President Mark Helm; and Lehigh Hanson CEO Jon Morrish.
The annual meeting closed out on Saturday, April 30 with the introduction of the 2016-2017 YL Chairman Marc Kmec of Martin Marietta.
Next year’s meeting will be held in Puerto Rico.