Higbie and Jenkins Join the 2023-2024 LEAP Class 

Asphalt Material’s Sales Representative Nate Jenkins and Heritage Research Group’s Senior Asphalt Research Chemist Campbell Higbie have joined the 2023-2024 LEAP Class. Nate Jenkins is a member of the Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI) sales team and has worked with the company since January 2014. Campbell began his career at The Heritage Group (THG) when he joined the Heritage Research Group (HRG) in March 2016 as a lab technician for the asphalt emulsion lab. In 2018, Higbie moved into a research and innovation role with HRG. This has allowed him to help AMI develop novel approaches in asphalt applications, specifically with emulsions.  

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Happy National Intern Day!

Naarah Holloway contributed to this story.

Happy National Intern Day! Today we celebrate all our interns and the challenging work they do at The Heritage Group. We believe that the interns of today are the leaders of tomorrow! That said, we value our interns and want to ensure they gain the best experience by learning, growing, and fostering new relationships.  

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Facility Spotlight: Serving the Road Industry in Wisconsin for more than 85 Years

Since 1935, H.G. Meigs has been involved in the Wisconsin road-building industry with products ranging from asphalt cement to asphalt emulsions. There are three locations Abbotsford, Eau Claire, and Portage. 

Meigs Transport has a dedicated truck fleet of over 40 vehicles which also includes several distributor trucks that are also available. The company strives to exceed customer expectations by providing high-quality products along with incomparable service.  

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Sara Pieroni Emphasizes the Importance of Blood Drives 

Donating blood is an incredibly important and life-saving act of kindness. It can help save the lives of those in need. Blood donations help to replenish the blood supply, and may help those who are critically ill, an accident victim, someone having surgery, or receiving a transplant. Our very own Sara Pieroni was a transplant recipient in 2022 and therefore has firsthand knowledge of how important blood donations can be.  

I will say this is what helped me when I had my transplant. I was getting blood infusions weekly for a month or so, and sometimes 3-5 times a day. This is awesome! Thanks for sharing how important it is to give blood if you can, you never know whose life you are saving and helping. I am SO very blessed to have a company that supports this and makes it easy for people to contribute. I never realized how important and HOW MANY people depend on blood from the banks. My whole entire family aunts, uncles, and cousins are all regular donors now. 

Thank you, TEAM AMI! 

#AMIThankful 

– Sara Pieroni 

Our team partners with Versiti Blood Centers for our quarterly blood drives in 2023, and the first was held on March 21, 2023. The AMI blood drives have positively affected our community. In 2022 we saved over 1,000 lives and since the start of the AMI Blood Drive in 2020, we have saved over 3,000 lives. Our goal this year is to save 1,500 lives.  

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit: www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/ 

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Janik Reveals Employer Brand Insights at AEMA Annual Meeting 

Industry Leaders Gather to Share Best Practices 

Litchfield Park, Arizona. Thursday, March 2, 2023 

The future of our industry was at the forefront at the annual Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA) meeting. Experts spoke on innovative topics that provided opportunities for members to improve their businesses, keep up to date on best practices, and connect with colleagues from across the industry. During the event, there were opportunities to recognize individuals and teams for excellence in asphalt recycling & reclaiming. 

Heritage Construction and Materials’ (HC+M) Chief Talent Officer Kierstin Janik was a featured presenter at this event. Several highlights of her presentation are noted below. 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) projects there will be approximately $550 billion of new infrastructure investments over the next decade. These projects will potentially create 3.2 million new jobs across the non-residential construction value chain. It is estimated that somewhere between 300,000 to 600,000 new construction workers are needed to fill the gap with projected peak needs in 2027-2028. 

In Indiana alone, there are predictions of 140,000 construction job openings by 2026 with more than 19,000 of those being highway construction jobs. 

One of the most important activities we should always remember is the importance of creating a positive work environment. The different aspects of a positive environment can include: 

  • Creating meaningful work 
  • Good work / life balance 
  • Investing in people 
  • Providing learning and development opportunities 
  • Creating a strong culture where inclusion and belonging matter 
  • Sharing of ideas about success stories and celebrating wins 

Being a Part of Women of Asphalt 

What inspired me to join WOA, and how has your involvement impacted your career in the industry? 

As a leader and talent professional, my involvement with Women of Asphalt is important to me on many levels.  I am highly committed to increasing diversity of all kinds in our construction and materials industry.  As businesses and an industry, we can’t afford not to!  To do that it is critical that women see our industry as a place where they belong and can thrive.  Women of Asphalt plays an important role in creating awareness to attract women into our industry as well as making resources and support accessible to women so that they can truly thrive.  

Personally, Women of Asphalt has helped me to connect with other talented women who are not only impressive in their respective functions – They are dedicated to this same mission.  They inspire me in so many ways! 

Kierstin Janik 

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Our Safety Commitment at AMI

Safety is an important aspect of everything we do here at Asphalt Materials Inc. In order to succeed in the industry, we need to establish a culture where everyone has an opportunity to have their voice heard. In order to ensure this, we have our team of safety professionals! Our team routinely hosts meetings, training sessions, and ‘tool box talks’ to promote open dialogue.

Meet Our Safety Team

Steve Clonce | Environmental Health & Safety Director

Steve leads the safety, compliance, and environmental roles for AMI. Steve is a member of the operations leadership team and directly reports to Chris McGee.

Steve is an Indiana native and Notre Dame fan! Steve comes to AMI from Corteva where he served as the EH&S leader for 4 years and was in an EH&S Responsible Care Leader role for 6 years at Dow Agrosciences prior to his role with Corteva.

Additionally, Steve served in the US Army as a Military Police Officer and graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

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AMI Welcomes Candice Kohn

Candice Kohn has joined the Asphalt Materials team as Field Support Manager. Candice is based in Minneapolis and will support the specialty products team in the important markets of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.  

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Meet Our New Implementation Director – Mike Capuano

AMI Robbins Road Building

What will you be working on in your new assignment? 

I will be supporting the operations team with compliance, training, best practice and improvement. I will help plant operators figure out how to streamline items and issues. As well as helping with onboarding new employees or bringing on new facilities. I’m excited about being able to work with all facilities in this new role.  

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Chad Miller Promoted to Plant Manager at Asphalt Materials, Inc. Morris, IL Facility

At Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI), we love every opportunity to recognize and celebrate the remarkable journeys our team members travel and celebrate their growth and highlight their exciting career paths.

We recently announced that Chad Miller was promoted to Plant Manager of our Morris, IL location. Chad’s dedication, growth, and resilience have been an example for many others to emulate. 

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