Pit & Quarry announces 2016 Hall of Fame class

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Pit & Quarry’s 2016 Hall of Fame class includes Rick Feltes of Feltes Sand & Gravel Co., Don James of Vulcan Materials Co. and Steve Zelnak of Martin Marietta Materials Inc. This group joins the 17 current members of the Pit & Quarry Hall of Fame. The new inductees will also be represented in the National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum in Leadville, Colo., joining the other Pit & Quarry Hall of Fame members already represented.

The inductees will be honored at a black-tie induction ceremony and dinner at 7 p.m. on March 20. Guests will be seated for dinner at 8 p.m., and the hall of fame ceremony starts at 8:45 p.m. The event follows the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association Chairman’s Welcome Reception at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

The inductees were selected by a group of peers from a pool of nominees submitted by industry experts, as well as our readers.

Purchase your tickets for the event here.

Learn about the inductees below.

Rick Feltes, Feltes Sand & Gravel Co.

Headshot: Rick Feltes

Rick Feltes, who grew up in the aggregates industry, was a key figure in the development of AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo, which launched in 2009 alongside the World of Asphalt. Well regarded for his dedication to National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) initiatives, Feltes has served the association in various capacities and as a chairman. Yet, Feltes’ investment in the NSSGA continued at a high level in the years following his chairmanship because of a drive to help others in the industry succeed. Feltes made sure AGG1 incorporated a mix of educational seminars, site visits and equipment exhibits to attract a wide audience of people in the aggregates industry. AGG1 has grown significantly since its inception, achieving records in 2015 for attendance, exhibitors, exhibit space and education tickets sold, according to the NSSGA. Feltes also was an instrumental figure in his family-owned, Illinois-based operation, Feltes Sand & Gravel, which Lafarge North America acquired in 2007. Previously, he was named a Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award recipient for his dedication to the industry.

Don James, Vulcan Materials Co.

Headshot: Don James

Don James, who joined Vulcan Materials in 1992, led the largest aggregates supplier in the U.S. for 18 years, significantly expanding the company’s operations throughout the country. James guided Vulcan through periods of strong growth and difficult market downturns, positioning the company in recent years to increase operational efficiency and maintain disciplined growth. Under James’ leadership, first as president and then as CEO, Vulcan’s enterprise value grew from $2 billion to about $10 billion; its permitted reserves base doubled from 7.5 billion tons to more than 15 billion tons; and the aggregates facilities it operates increased from 122 to more than 325. James served as Vulcan president from 1996 to 1997 and as CEO from 1997 to 2014. He began serving on the company’s board of directors in 1996 and was named chairman in 1997. James was named non-executive chairman last January and retired from that position at the end of 2015. Vulcan originally hired James as senior vice president and general counsel.

Steve Zelnak, Martin Marietta Materials Inc.

Headshot: Steve Zelnak

Steve Zelnak, whose career in the aggregates industry began in 1974, grew Martin Marietta revenues from $450 million to more than $2.2 billion during his tenure as the company’s CEO. Zelnak joined the Martin Marietta Corp. in 1981 as vice president of planning and business development for its aggregates company. He was quickly promoted, taking on a role as president in 1982. Zelnak was elected an officer of the parent corporation in 1989, and he was promoted to president of the company’s Materials Group in 1991. In 1994, as president and CEO, Zelnak led a transition for Martin Marietta Materials Inc. as a publicly traded corporation on the New York Stock Exchange. He was elected chairman of the company’s board of directors in 1997 and was responsible for more than 70 acquisitions, broadening the company’s geographic footprint. Zelnak also devised and implemented a unique long-haul distribution strategy, making Martin Marietta a leader in rail- and water-distributed aggregates products. Zelnak retired as chairman in 2014.

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