Incoming NAPA Chair takes gavel
NAPA’s outgoing chair Christian Zimmermann handed off the gavel to Brady Meldrem as part of the kickoff to the NAPA 2024 Annual Meeting at the Omni Orlando at Championsgate on Jan. 29.
The NAPA Board of Directors selected Meldrem to lead the association during its last meeting, and Meldrem took the oath of office during the first general session of NAPA Annual.
Meldrem, Norris Asphalt Paving Co.’s president emeritus, shared the story of his career, which began behind a bar before he became a truck driver and later an asphalt superintendent on his path toward leading the Ottumwa, Iowa-based company. He credited the team he worked with at Norris for much of his success, as well as his family, especially his wife, Julie.
Meldrem officially unveiled the association’s 2023 Annual Report and announced a fundraising effort for scholarships to the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) called Road Scholars. NAPA aims to raise $3 million to help educate the next generation of asphalt pavement engineers.
“We have already raised more than $1.5 million and we are already halfway to our goal,” Meldrem told the audience.
NAPA staff share insights during business meeting
NAPA’s subject matter experts gave an update on association business during the second general session of the Annual Meeting.
President and CEO Audrey Copeland was joined onstage by Vice President for Industry Promotion and Membership Ester Magorka, Vice President for Engineering, Research, and Technology Richard Willis, Vice President for Government Affairs Nile Elam, and Vice President for Environment, Health, and Safety Howard Marks.
The staff traced the organization’s priorities through the perspective of NAPA’s three pillars of success: leadership, stewardship, and membership. Learn more at NAPAAnnualReport.org.