Pit & Quarry, May 2013

ONE ON ONE Perspective FROM THE PRESIDENT BY KEVIN YANIK The NSSGA president shares his views with Pit Quarry on a number of topics including the associations goals the highway bill and MSHA us Edwards steadily climbed the ranks over 16 years between the National Stone Association NSA and the National Stone Sand Gravel Association NSSGA starting as NSAs vice president of public affairs upon joining in 1997 and continuing in roles as vice president for communications and community relations and executive vice president after NSA and the National Aggregates Association merged in 2000 Now about six months into his tenure as NSSGA president and CEO Edwards found time to reflect on recent legislative developments the future of surface transportation funding and his plans for the association P Q How have things gone your first few months as NSSGA president and CEO What was your reaction when the position suddenly became open and later when you were approached about filling it GE I was of course highly honored and humbled to be asked to succeed Joy Pinniger This is a great industry filled with remarkable people and some of the best managed companies in this country so its a privilege to serve them I like to think theres been a fairly seamless transition between my predecessor and me After all Ive been with the association for nearly 16 years and became executive vice president in 2008 so its not as though I was suddenly thrown into the lions den P Q What would you like NSSGA to accomplish during your regime Do you have any specific goals for 2013 or beyond GE Id like NSSGA to be successful in ensuring that Americas aggregates producers can thrive in a sustainable business climate that allows NSSGA President and CEO Gus Edwards them to grow and to be competitive and innovative We will continue to be strong advocates for the industry at the federal government level and in the federal courts when necessary With reauthorization looming in 2014 laying the sound groundwork for a long term national surface transportation program is a high priority in 2013 P Q The absence of a comprehensive well funded multiyear federal surface transportation program is a problem that lingers What were your thoughts on the passage of the 2012 bill MAP 21 and what impact do you expect the bill to have on the industry by the time it expires GE We worked very hard for the passage of a surface transportation reauthorization bill While we dont believe the two year term of MAP 21 is long enough it does provide a modicum of certainty to the industry and maintains level funding of the program We chronicled all of our activities to pass a bill in the three years NSSGA is open to all possible alternatives designed to increase investment in the nations transportation infrastructure 34 PIT QUARRY May 2013 www pitandquarry com