When Karen Murphy joined the Associated Asphalt team, she brought with her an extensive amount of expertise and knowledge in the Environmental, Health, and Safety field. As the new (EHS) Manager, Karen is eager to apply her knowledge and passion for safety to ensure that everyone can go home safe at the end of the day.
Roanoke native Wendi Basham joined the Associated Asphalt family in March of 2022 as an Executive Administrator. Coming from a lively background of working with local government, Wendi brings her expertise to her day-to-day life at Associated Asphalt.
Robbie Robinson has a knack for combining his technical knowledge with marketing and sales. “I do a lot of different things as the Sr. Technical Services and Marketing Manager. I market our specialty asphalts and performance products and once I sell a job then I go and support it technically,” he said
Associated Asphalt is overjoyed to celebrate yet another award from the Virginia Trucking Association for best safety record in the tank division for a fleet less than 2,000,000 miles for 2019 and 2020. This will be the fourth year in a row that our transportation department has received an honor from the organization.
Safety has always been a top priority at Associated Asphalt. Visitors at our Roanoke, Va. terminal can expect to see a wall of safety awards we have received over the years. We can attribute much of our recent success in navigating our growth safely to Ernie Hamilton, Sr. Transportation Manager, and his entire team for the hard work that they have done to streamline our systems and keep our drivers safe.
“I cannot even express how proud I am of all the people who made this award possible…” says Ernie, praising everyone from the drivers and mechanics, to the dispatchers and human resource personnel, who all worked together to make it happen.
Ernie Hamilton joined Associated Asphalt in February of 2016 and has played an important role in transforming our transportation systems. In his current role, Ernie oversees all of our terminals that host trucking operations: Martinsburg, Roanoke, Bristol, Hopewell, Columbia, and Tampa. Day-to-day, Ernie oversees a variety of tasks and projects including equipment management and maintenance, systems automation, and emphasizing safety for the drivers.
“When I came on board, we had experienced a lot of growth and our team and processes needed to grow accordingly. Doing everything manually wasn’t working anymore,” Ernie recalls. “Since then, we’ve gone fully automated. We’ve added onboard computers to the trucks and programming set up to streamline communication between the dispatch office and the trucks. It makes our quarterly taxes easier and also helps us make sure our drivers are safer.”
In addition, Ernie worked directly with Associated Asphalt’s IT department to create and program a system that manages fleet maintenance and inventory. This helps the company comply with required maintenance regulations with ease.
“We’ve come a long way,” he says. “Since I’ve joined, we have all worked together to change things around and have started hitting our safety goals and winning awards again.”
In addition to putting systems in place, the team also continued to emphasize a culture of safety-first. The company put a focus on encouraging drivers to slow down and drive cautiously.
“If we’re going to pay them by the hour for safety purposes, we should also encourage them to slow down,” says Ernie. “With the onboard computers, we can now monitor for speed, hard braking, and anything they do that could be a risk.”
To support Ernie’s efforts in a safety-first approach to managing his fleet, he recently acquired his Director of Safety Certificate from the North American Transportation Management Institute, in partnership with the University of Central Florida Division of Continuing Education. While not required by regulations, this Certification serves as another layer of risk mitigation for the company and Ernie’s team.
“Marie, John, and Danny were a great help in helping me get this certification,” he says. “If you need something to be successful and can prove that it will help the company, they’ll provide you with whatever you need.”
Ernie was proud to share a few stats about his team from 2020:
Outside of work, Ernie is spending time with his family outside. They enjoy the great outdoors and just about any activity you can do outside, such as bike riding, skiing, 4-wheeling, and camping when the weather allows it.
The grit of a person or organization is determined by how they respond in times of crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic has up-ended “business as usual” for many industries in the United States and across the world. In this crisis, we are very humbled that our industry has been deemed essential. While we have always realized the importance of our nation’s infrastructure, we welcomed the opportunity to rise to the occasion during these challenging times.
Amidst all of the uncertainty, we are thankful to have been able to maintain operations at full capacity, while incorporating social distancing guidelines in order to protect our employees, contractors, and carriers. Beneath our humility, we are incredibly proud of each and every one of our employees’ dedication. As James Hill, Chief Operating Officer put it, “You all represent a bright light in an otherwise cloudy situation and for that, you should smile and stand proud.”
The dedication displayed by our team has been paramount in playing our integral role in the infrastructure supply chain. Our customers depended on us. Departments of Transportation depended on us. Municipalities, inspectors, and transportation networks all counted on us to navigate this historic challenge we faced. We’d be remiss if we didn’t thank each department at Associated Asphalt.
“Rest assured, when you reflect on your individual performance you will have much to be honored by as each of you sacrificed for the collective good,” Hill wrote in a letter to the organization. “It is because of your individual actions that we are collectively able to provide an essential service to our nation.”
Not only did our team rise to the occasion to maintain operations, but they did so in alignment with the continually changing Federal and State guidelines. We worked with our customers, carriers, and suppliers to ensure that our safety priorities were not compromised. Communication and collaboration between our departments and partners has been admirable.
As we look toward the future, we will do so with an unwavering commitment to Paving the Way Forward®. We will continue to play our critical role in our nation’s supply chain and will do so with the health and safety of everyone involved as a top priority.
“While no one can say for certain when the COVID-19 pandemic will end; I am certain it will end and when it does we will rise on the other side as a tested and stronger Associated Asphalt,” says Hill in the closing of his letter.
If you’d like to learn more about Associated Asphalt, visit AssociatedAsphalt.com, and be sure to check out our Careers section for our up to date job postings.
In October of 2019, JD Taylor joined the Associated Asphalt team in Tampa, Florida as a Terminal Manager. At this water-accessible terminal, Taylor manages a team of 15 individuals who work together to produce and distribute a variety of Associated Asphalt products.
Coming from Dallas, TX, Taylor has experience in blending and distributing finished lubricants. While much of the operational concepts are similar, he was excited for the opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of a new industry. He was eager to jump right in and get to know his team. He describes himself as very hands-on and hit the ground running with several end of year projects.
“Working with so many wonderful people with so much industry knowledge has made the last few months fly by,” says Taylor. “The group here did a great job of filling me in on where we were with everything and got it all wrapped up on time.”
Since his time joining the company, the terminal has already gone through a significant electrical upgrade, the installation of a new production tank, and new mixers in two additional production tanks. Throughout these projects and their normal day to day activities, Taylor feels that he and his team have integrated well. He says that he appreciates the tight-knit bond that he’s been able to forge with his team while knowing that he can reach out to anyone at another terminal or at Corporate when needed.
“In addition to the team here locally, Gary Evans, our regional manager, has done a tremendous job at maintaining that family friendly atmosphere while keeping us focused on what is needed to maintain our growth,” says Taylor. “He’s been great to work with.”
In a short letter to his new coworkers at Associated Asphalt at the end of last year, Taylor said: “There is still much work to be done…The team here at Tampa gives me great confidence that we can and will do great things by way of their professionalism, focus on safety, and vision for success.”
JD Taylor adds that his own family also welcomed the relocation to Tampa. His wife is able to spend more time with her family nearby and they’re all able to spend time enjoying the amenities that Florida has to offer.
We couldn’t have summed up the Tampa team better ourselves and are excited to have JD Taylor leading them!
What’s your favorite food?
Mexican food
What’s your favorite musical artist?
Johnny Cash
What’s your favorite thing about living in Tampa?
Being near family
If you’ve ever visited Associated Asphalt’s Corporate Headquarters in Roanoke, VA, you may have spotted some beautiful photos of our terminals and rail sidings in the lobby, courtesy of Scooter Kennedy, Senior Marketing Coordinator. Kennedy joined the Associated Asphalt team as Sales & Technical Manager in October of 2006 with a background in the asphalt paving industry.
“I sold PG Asphalt out of the Inman and Salisbury terminals,” he recalls. “I knew most of the customers in the area because of my work in the industry prior to joining Associated, so I was able to hit the ground running.”
Since Kennedy first joined in 2006, Associated Asphalt has seen a lot of growth and changes. The company went from 4 terminals to 33. His experiences in that growth make him a great asset to the Sales & Marketing team as the Senior Marketing Coordinator. He monitors and manages association memberships, creates comprehensive sales reports, plans outside sales events, aids the sales department with customer’s technical data and material requests, and anything else thrown his away.
“I’ve done some marketing materials, really just a little bit of everything,” he says. “I really enjoy that I am available to help everyone out as needed and also enjoy my hobby, which is taking pictures.”
To this day, Kennedy says Associated Asphalt feels like a family rather than a company.
“I feel like they care about Scooter, the person, not just Scooter the employee,” says Kennedy.
While marketing and sales may sometimes sounds like a job for a person who craves to be social, sometimes he finds some of his happiest moments in solitude. Outside of the Inman office, Kennedy enjoys solo hiking and solo backpacking. He enjoys going out on the trail, spending the night camping, and taking some photos along the way.
When it comes to predicting and managing trends in supply and demand for a global commodity like asphalt, Associated Asphalt wants top experts like Jim Harren on the job.
Harren joined the Associated Asphalt leadership team in August of 2019 as Senior Vice President of Supply and Marketing after a long, successful career in oil trading. During his time at global oil companies like Shell Oil and LUKOIL’s LITASCO, he acquired a deep knowledge in a wide variety of skills that will prove to be an asset for the growth Associated Asphalt continues to experience.
At Shell Oil, he began his journey working in the distribution and supply chain logistics in Chicago before leveraging his Master’s in Applied Statistics for the risk management team in Houston. Here, he gained experience in options trading on energy futures. He later used this analytical knowledge to help run and manage inputs for an algorithm that optimized the Deer Park refinery supply system.
“I learned the refinery process during that time so it really came full circle for me,” says Harren. “I went from understanding logistics and how to move everything, and after learning the financial side of trading the materials, I was now understanding how to make it all.”
He took a short leave from the oil business to grow an industrial warehouse company, tripling it in size. He soon returned to trading for a variety of materials in the oil industry on a global scale. It was clear to the leadership at Associated Asphalt that Harren’s vast experience in commodity supply, demand, and trading would be a great fit for the company.
With Bill Kirk’s background working for Shell Oil Company in his early career, there was an instant camaraderie between he and Harren, but the whole leadership team was really what convinced Harren to come on board:
“What appealed to me about Associated Asphalt was the leadership team,” says Harren. “When I first met John, Bill, Steve, and James they were very professional, knowledgeable guys who wanted to grow this company and do what’s best.”
Since joining in August, Harren has been most excited about the level of expertise and professionalism that he’s experienced with every single department of the organization. He instantly recognized the company-wide drive to work with integrity and excellency. Despite the true size of the company, he feels that Associated Asphalt has been able to maintain the family owned company feel.
“Right now I’m getting up to speed on the supply side of things that supports our network along the East Coast,” says Harren. “In January, I’ll start working with the marketing team to dive into the sales side.”
Harren adds that he looks forward to applying his background to make a big impact on the way the Supply & Marketing team. Through his understanding of global markets and changing regulations, he will be able to predict how those markets will perform.
Though Harren is often traveling for work, when he is home he spends time with his wife getting to know Roanoke and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain region. As a recent grandfather, he takes every chance he can to visit his daughter and her growing family in Raleigh or watching his son coach the University of Michigan lacrosse team to victories.
While our supply capacity, transportation networks, and expertise in asphalt sets us apart in the industry, we believe it’s our people who truly make a difference in our success. We want our employees to exemplify our values of integrity, safety, relationships, innovation, and excellence. When they rise to the occasion, we believe the opportunities for their professional development are endless.
Associated Asphalt’s Human Resources Department has prioritized leadership training and development for those individuals who show promise in their management roles. We believe that an investment in our employees is an investment in our future. Through a variety of programs, we build the leaders of tomorrow. Here are just a few ways we grow the leaders in our company.
Vital Smarts is a world-class leadership training program that build high-performance leaders through a variety of research-based methodologies. These programs are built to cultivate a culture centered around productivity, communication, and creating good habits.
Director of Human Resources, Marie Greer became a David Allen Certified “Getting Things Done Methodology” trainer in 2011 and has continued to gain VitalSmarts Certifications to instruct leaders on Crucial Conversations and Crucial Accountability. By the end of 2019, she will also be certified to teach the Influencer Methodology and the Power of Habit. All of these training programs work together to help employees build stronger relationship, hold employees accountable, influence a positive team culture, and increase productivity.
“Since we’ve been doing these training, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback,” says Marie. “Personally, my work life is easier and better because of these methodologies. We’ve seen a low turnover rate and have seen more successful internal promotions.”
In partnership with the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center, just down the street from our headquarters, we enroll local and remote leaders in the Leaders of the 21st Century program. The 9-month program takes place one full day a month. This program covers emotional intelligence, listening skills, leveraging technologies for productivity and relationship building, and strategic planning and thinking. A handful of employees participate each year.
Leadership Roanoke Valley, sponsored by the Roanoke Regional Chamber, has been building local leaders in the Valley since 1983. This program sets itself apart from the others because it has a unique focus on what it means to be a leader in your community, not just your organization. With monthly programs, participants build their leadership skills and apply them to a special community impact project over the course of 10 months. Three of our corporate leaders have participated in the program.
Professional and personal growth comes from valuable experiences and direct training. At Associated Asphalt, we seek to provide both for our all of our employees, not just our leaders. Discover what kind of promising career opportunities are available at Associated Asphalt today!
