Outgoing TACA Chairman Kevin Kipp, Few Ready Mix Concrete Co., noted the thinking behind the theme. “‘Preserving a Strong Foundation’ pays homage to those who have committed to preserving the environment, well before conservation was in the spotlight,” Kipp said. “And it underscores one of our most important assets — our people, who will lay the foundation for the next 70 years.”
A highlight of the conference was the keynote from Aaron Witt, “Chief Dirt Nerd” of BuildWitt, a marketing, media, and software business dedicated to helping the Dirt World overcome its workforce challenges, since 40 percent of the construction industry and 50 percent of the mining industry are now retiring.
“Rather than view this as a catastrophe, we can think of this as the biggest opportunity we’ve had in a long time,” Witt said. “By focusing on being a ‘Best in Class’ company that attracts the right workforce, we can perform better and serve humanity better. ‘Best in Class’ companies take an active role in their future. When needed, they are not reluctant to change course."
Witt outlined the characteristics of a winning company:
| Your local Wirtgen America dealer |
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| Kirby Smith Machinery |
- They train all day long. It is worked into their cultures. They train their front-line leadership, and their front-line leadership has great attitudes.
- They have nonstop communication. They talk to each other all day long, not just a 40-minute safety meeting in the morning.
- They take pride in every single detail of their business, from how it looks to how it performs.
- Their teams have a genuine sense of humility. They care about their workers and are not afraid to show it. But they can also say, “Maybe there’s a better way to do it. Let’s pivot.”
TACA President & CEO Josh Leftwich agreed that workforce development is essential to the industry’s success. “Workforce development is not just about individual skill-building; it is also about nurturing a resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking workforce that serves as the backbone of a thriving aggregates industry,” Leftwich said. “Robust workforce development is sculpting a future where every stone of potential is meticulously honed to ensure a strong, resilient workforce ever-ready to build a strong Texas.”
TACA members also heard from Vance Ginn, Ph.D., Vance Ginn Economic Consulting, on how policy uncertainty drives economic volatility in an election year; Robert Mineo II, PE, LEED AP, Managing Director at FMI Capital Advisors, on the impact of economics and drivers for construction materials on the current market; Aaron Demerson, President & CEO at Texas Economic Development Corporation, on how Texas is an economic powerhouse; and Libby Pritchard, Director of Occupational Health, Safety, and Sustainability at the National Stone, Sand, & Gravel Association, on total worker health.
