NAPA’s Buzz Powell named Illinois APA Person of the Year
The Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association (IAPA) annually recognizes one non-member who has had a unique, positive impact on the association and the asphalt pavement industry in general. IAPA announced Asphalt Pavement Alliance Technical Director Buzz Powell as its Person of the Year during its 87th Annual Conference March 11-12.
The award came as a surprise to Powell.
“It was a great and unexpected honor to be recognized as the 2024 IAPA Person of the Year,” Powell said. “Appropriately, I got the award right before the IAPA recognized scholarship recipients. I was blessed to be able to work full-time for the Alabama DOT to support my family while I completed my undergraduate degree. But, if not for being awarded a McCartney Construction Company, Inc. endowed scholarship, I may not have survived.
“When I accepted the IAPA award, I encouraged the scholarship recipients to pursue careers in the asphalt industry. This industry has been nothing but a blessing to me, and I’m enthusiastic when I encourage others to choose it for their careers.”
recipients of the honor. Copeland was named IAPA Person of
the Year in April 2023.
Before joining NAPA, Buzz worked as an associate director and research professor at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University where he conducted accelerated pavement testing (APT) research on mix/materials, thickness design, and preservation. Prior to his 24-year career at NCAT, he worked for 12 years with the Alabama Department of Transportation and two years in the private sector.