AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) hosted more than 620 attendees at its 71st Annual Meeting, held at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The theme this year was “Building a Lasting Legacy in Texas,” which celebrated the contributions of the construction materials industry to the state’s growth and prosperity.
“‘Building a Lasting Legacy in Texas’ captures the core of who we are as an industry — resilient, durable, and deeply committed to building the infrastructure that underpins our economy and way of life," Outgoing TACA Chairman Juan Castillo, Cemex, said. "These efforts are foundational to the Texas miracle, helping to fuel long-term growth, prosperity, and security for every community across the Lone Star State.”
A highlight of the meeting was an economic forecast by Pierre Villere of Allen-Villere Partners, who offered cautious optimism. He projected that the U.S. economy will return to and maintain positive gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the near term, though significant uncertainties remain.
“The biggest force in the U.S. economy is the consumer at the grocery store, who accounts for 70 percent of GDP,” Villere said. “What consumers choose to spend on, or hold back from, is heavily influenced by sentiment. Right now, evolving federal policies on trade, monetary issues, immigration, and domestic matters are creating a cloud of uncertainty.”
Villere emphasized that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will continue to drive volume and revenue for the construction materials industry and help insulate it from economic headwinds — including inflation, interest rates, global conflicts, and housing market softness.
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Looking further ahead, Villere predicted a robust, multi-year economic expansion once current challenges subside — one that could be significantly boosted by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence.
“We are in the ‘bag phone’ era of AI,” he said. “But unlike the 25 years it took to evolve into smartphones, AI’s development will move much faster — and it will unlock significant productivity gains that will drive long-term economic growth.”
Incoming TACA Chairman Rich Szecsy, Ph.D., Big Town Concrete, outlined a vision for the year ahead, including a public outreach initiative to spotlight the industry’s role in supporting Texas’ booming population.
“In just two decades, Texas will grow by nearly 7 million people — from 31.8 million in 2025 to more than 38.6 million in 2045,” Szecsy said. “To meet that demand, we will need to essentially build the equivalent of Texas’ five largest cities — Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth — all over again. That kind of growth simply isn’t possible without the strength and dedication of our industry.”
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Other speakers included Ed Sullivan, Chief Economist, Forecaster, and Public Speaker; Michele Stanley, interim CEO of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association; and Brooke Paup, Chairwoman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), who was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott in 2025 to lead the regulatory agency.
Paup emphasized her guiding principle of “compliance first,” reaffirming her commitment to science-based, transparent, and practical regulation that both protects the environment and serves the public interest. She expressed support for the 89th Texas Legislature’s decision to allocate funding for 175 new full-time positions at TCEQ.
“I’m extremely pleased that the Legislature recognized the importance of our mission and provided the resources to strengthen our compliance and outreach efforts across the state,” Paup said.
