The 2020 Utah Asphalt Conference (UAC) was held at the Mountain America Exposition Center in Sandy, Utah on February 25 to 26, 2020. The conference, considered to be Utah's premier asphalt-related trade show, offered technology and tool demonstrations, scholarship/award presentations, 32 educational seminars and hosted 86 exhibitors.
The theme this year was "One Industry. One Goal". Keynote speakers were Craig Bolerjack, Jarret Ingram, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, Mark Eaton, and Reed Ryan. The seminars focused on the challenges facing the industry in terms of growth, workforce development, and taking the necessary steps to move forward with just one idea, one initiative, or one goal.
"The biggest difference in the conference this year from last year was the continued growth of the conference in both attendees and exhibitors", said Reed Ryan, executive director of The Utah Asphalt Pavement Association." We more than doubled our sponsors this year with a record-level of support and had over 1,150 total attendees at the conference."
According to Ryan, a total of 1,150 people attended the event, and the conference sold more booths this year than in any previous year, 82, with additional space to allow four more booths.
Ryan was joined by fellow keynote speakers Craig Bolerjack, Jarret Ingram, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and Mark Eaton.
"Each speaker had their own unique message," Ryan said, "but the theme of the conference this year was ‘One Industry. One Goal.' To that end, our speakers addressed what makes a successful team, the power of perspective, and the challenges facing our industry in terms of growth, workforce development, and taking the necessary steps to move forward with just one idea, one initiative, or one goal."
Scholarship award recipients received $1,500 each for a total of $6,000 in scholarships awarded at the conference. The recipients were: Colton Davis, Tanner Spencer, Braden Watson and Dalton David.
"What was great about each recipient is that each is already involved and engaged with the asphalt pavement industry in Utah, so it was great to recognize them as individuals and our industry as a whole as we bring in the next generation of skilled workers and managers," Ryan said.
Continued Growth
"As an association, we are very grateful to witness the growth and support of the Utah Asphalt Conference over the past seven years," said Ryan. "We've gone from just a few classes, no exhibitors and 150 attendees to what the conference is today: 32 classes; 1,150 attendees; and just shy of 90 exhibitors taking up two halls and all of the classrooms at the Mountain America Expo Center. One of UAPA's core values is our commitment to industry. I think the Utah Asphalt Conference is a direct manifestation of that commitment. I would put our conference up against any other asphalt-related conference in the entire nation, it is simply that good. At first blush, that may sound like a very prideful statement on my part, but as an association that started from the ground up just eight short years ago, we have never forgotten what makes it all work — it's the people that attend, who are ready to learn, coming with a strong desire to get better at their jobs. For me, that's humbling, and we better be certain that we continue to deliver on those expectations. I want nothing less than to be the best and I know this is exactly what our industry wants in Utah as well — put that kind of drive together with high expectations and I think we have a formula for success for many years to come."
Contractor Awards were given in 4 different categories.
Quality in Pavement Preservation Award: Cutler Repaving for SR-43
Quality in Construction Award: Western Rock Products for the St. George Regional Airport
Small Project of the Year: Granite Construction for 5400 South
Large Project of the Year: Geneva Rock for Saratoga Springs Mountain View Corridor
Hall of Fame Inductee
Hal Labelle of Asphalt Systems, Inc. The induction into the
Utah Asphalt Hall of Fame is the highest award and honor UAPA gives each year.
Click here to read more about Hal Labelle of Asphalt Systems Inc.
Black & Gold Sponsors:
Staker Parson Materials & Construction, Geneva Rock, Honnen Equipment, Hales Sand & Gravel, Holbrook Asphalt, Barricade Services. Wheeler Machinery, ICM Solutions, Goodfellow Corporation, Nu Rock Asphalt Coatings and Morgan Pavement.
Black and Silver Sponsers:
Mountain Regional Equipment Solutions, Maxwell Products, Inc., Astec, Inc. and Mountain States Asphalt.
Black & Bronze Sponsors:
Coughlin Company, SealMaster Utah, All States Materials Group, Cate Equipment, Kilgore Companies, Komatsu Equipment Company, Double D Distribution, Graymont, CMT and Engineering Laboratories.
UAPA Industry Dinner Sponsor: GeoDyne Transport
Registration Desk Sponsor: Asphalt Materials, Inc.
Lunch Sponsors: Intermountain Slurry Seal & Arnold Machinery
Break Sponsors: Ingevity, Inc. – Evotherm; CMT Engineering Laboratories
Lanyard Sponsor: Granite Construction
For more information, please visit www.utahasphalt.org.
Quality in Pavement Preservation Award: Cutler Repaving for SR-43.
(The newsLINK Group photo)
Attendees visit exhibitor displays between seminars.
Long-time employee David Foulger of Century Equipment Company showcases the Case SR210 skid steer Tier IV-final.
(L-R): Randy Marshall of Komatsu Equipment Company, Garrick Brown of Kilgore Companies, Rob Oltmanns of Kilgore Companies, Shay Montag of Kilgore Companies and Shaun Brown of Komatsu Equipment Company with the Bomag BW161AC-5 combo roller. Kilgore has recently rented this Bomag roller for the paving season in Salt Lake City. Use of this roller will allow them to achieve faster, higher compaction.
Representing Honnen Equipment, Steve Daigh of Wirtgen America discusses the versatility of the new Vögele’s Super 2000-3i asphalt paver with Luis Martinez of Knife River.
Tim Badberg of Cate Equipment Company (L) and Rick Smith of Cate Equipment Company representing the LeeBoy 250 tack tank. The 250 gallon tack distributor provides a perfectly sized tank for small to large projects including parking lots, patching, driveways or soil stabilization.
(L-R): Cody Eck, of Idaho, Gene Jones of Utah and Myke Thurman of Utah representing Ritchie Bros.
(L-R): Todd Mansell, Cat Paving, Aaron Venz of Wheeler Machinery, customer Troy Riley of Green Construction and Cody Rhoades of Wheeler Machinery display the Cat AP1055F paver. The Cat AP1055F is known for its high travel speed, flotation, traction and mobility.
Spencer Gerrard of Intermountain Bobcat, members of the City Bountiful Engineering Dept. and Tommy Noe of Intermountain Bobcat exhibit the Bobcat T770 compact track loader. The T7770 is a Tier IV model and is primed for loading trucks, grinders and hoppers as well as many other jobs.
(L-R): Colby Lavender of Peterbilt, Mike Ortiz of Peterbilt, Tony Lowder of Williamsen-Godwin and Kevin Sorensen of WilliamsenGodwin with the Peterbilt 389, the embodiment of the Peterbilt legacy.
Today's top stories
