NSSGA honors industry advocates with Grassroots Awards

The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) recognized a number of industry aggregates advocates for their efforts to educate lawmakers on the value of the industry and legislation that can benefit operations around the country.

NSSGA honored Ben Brock of Astec Industries with its 2016 Grassroots CEO of the Year award. According to NSSGA, Brock seized every opportunity to advance NSSGA’s legislative priorities throughout 2015. He also met with members of Congress and their staffs to advocate on behalf of the aggregates industry.

NSSGA recognized Astec Industries and Oldcastle Materials with Grassroots Initiative of the Year awards for their legislative campaigns in 2015. Astec Industries received the award for its “Don’t Let America Dead End” campaign. The goal of this campaign was to urge members of Congress to pass a multi-year highway bill by sending out action kits, lapel stickers and launching an accompanying website. Oldcastle Materials received the award for its Texas Growth program, which increased the company’s political action committee contributions to state and local officials. The program included industry site visits with federal and state officials and the launching of the “Phone 2 Action” tool that allowed company employees to engage with elected officials via email and social media.

In addition, NSSGA honored Barrett Hardiman of Luck Cos. with its 2016 Grassroots Coordinator of the Year award and Gene Weldon of Lane Construction with its 2016 Grassroots Advocate of the Year award. Hardiman effectively coordinated Luck Stone’s grassroots to rally support for the highway bill at critical points of the legislative process, reports NSSGA. Weldon earned the award through his leadership in the Maine Aggregate Association, as well as his efforts to advocate for the industry on a national level. According to NSSGA, he educated government officials on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the U.S. rule and was a strong advocate for the passing of a multi-year highway bill.

“Advocacy is job No. 1 at NSSGA, and we could not effectively educate Congress on the vital contributions of the aggregates industry to our economic success and quality of life, or the need for better infrastructure and the perils of overregulation without dedicated industry activists,” says Mike Johnson, NSSGA president and CEO. “We are glad to recognize the outstanding efforts of our industry advocates with these awards.”