At Associated Asphalt, we’re proud of our humble beginnings. We’ve gone from being a 3 terminal oil company to being the largest liquid asphalt reseller in the country with 33 terminals along the Eastern United States. Daniel Palmer, Manager at our terminal in Roanoke, shares the same humble beginnings from his time as an Associated Asphalt employee.
Starting out as a groundskeeper cutting grass and weed-eating in his youth, Daniel’s growth in skills and expertise has mirrored the growth of our company. In his twentieth year as an employee, he now leads a team of 12 in the day-to-day operations of our Paving Grade service and supply for a large footprint in Southwest Virginia. This includes coordinating with our fleet of drivers, dispatchers, and Emulsions team.
Daniel’s Day-to-Day
For Daniel, coming to work is just another day working alongside his family.
“It really wasn’t work – it was just pure enjoyment,” reflects Daniel.
His only challenge at his job is learning to manage people. This is when his humility shows the most. His proudest moments are when he sees his team go from being strangers to acting like family and spending time together hanging out on the weekends.
“I don’t like titles. I’m just a regular guy,” says Daniel humbly. “I get down in the ditches with the guys and I’ll take the trash out. I’m no better than them. You learn a lot more respect through leading by example.”
Safety is another important part of Daniel’s role at the Terminal. With continued training and a friendly reminder each morning to stay present and be safe, his team takes their work and their safety seriously.
Personal and Professional Growth
Daniel’s growth as a result of working with Associated Asphalt hasn’t just come with the passing of time. At Associated Asphalt, we believe in investing in our employees. He was able to acquire additional training and licensure in metallurgy and welding with the company’s support. Although Daniel departed from the team for a short period of time to explore welding in his own business, after 3 years he rejoined the team.
“I was on the road a lot and wanted to slow down a little to spend more time with my son,” says Daniel. “I missed the people, too.”