GETTING TO KNOW NEW UAPA OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR Jonas Staker What are the UAPA Operations Committee's main responsibilities? The Operations Committee is new and is made up of 10-12 experts from all different areas of the asphalt industry. Our first meeting was held just a few weeks ago. We started by looking at UAPA from a 30,000-foot view and asked ourselves, “What are some things that are going well, and what are some things that aren't going well?” We all gave input, and from our responses, we came up with some common themes to focus on. We looked at our industry from the safety point of view and the work-life balance that should be there, among other things. Those are major concerns, particularly in the asphalt industry. We prioritized the items that we want to focus on the rest of this year and next — something that we can actually make a positive change on. Are there any specific challenges you are facing? Time is always a challenge, especially when you are starting something new. We get together once a month and we must make sure that whatever we look at as an Operations Committee is sustainable — that it's not overly cumbersome. We want to make sure every goal we set is within reach. What goals would you like to accomplish? It’s still new in the process, but as we've been sitting as a committee, it's been really easy to find purpose or to start setting some goals that everyone can agree upon because we all have the same challenges. We all have the end goal of making changes for the betterment of the association and the industry. What is your background in the asphalt industry? I started in the industry in 1997, working in the field, shoveling asphalt and raking. After that first year, I was going to school full time at Westminster College. The following year, I went on a mission for my 8
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