Pave It Black: The Official Podcast of NAPA
Pave It Black is the official podcast of the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Since 2020, NAPA's Richard Willis and Brett Williams have sparked conversations about the people, issues, and technologies that drive the asphalt pavement industry forward. Season 9 Beyond the Pavement: Lessons in Leadership is coming soon! Make sure to follow Pave It Black to be notified when new episodes drop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
June 10, 2025 • 40 mins
Organizational transitions involve more than balance sheets and operational plans—they require navigating the emotional dynamics that often make or break leadership changes. In this episode, we speak with leadership development expert and author of Succeeding: Stepping Up Without Stepping In It, Albert Ciuksza. With decades of consulting experience, Albert walks us through the nuanced dynamics between successors and predecessors in...
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In this episode, we shift gears and dive into leadership in a vital area of our industry: sales. With the help of Brodie Hutchins, Vice President of VÖGELE Products at the Wirtgen Group and Chair of NAPA’s Associate Member Council, we break down what it takes to become a trusted voice in the field. Brodie shares what it truly takes to succeed in sales roles—a blend of deep technical knowledge and relationship-building that puts peo...
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May 27, 2025 • 23 mins
Stepping into a new industry can be challenging or intimidating, but for Amanda Mohr, it brought tremendous growth. This week, the President of Superior Bowen shares how her background in finance became a powerful foundation for leading with precision, adaptability, and authenticity. Through her commitment to lifelong learning, she’s embraced every challenge as an opportunity for growth. Whether she's innovating operation...
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When we think of leadership, we often picture the teams we manage or the goals we set—but sometimes, we need to look a little closer. True leadership starts with self-awareness: it starts with me. In this episode of Pave It Black, executive coach and leadership expert, Wally Adamchik, shares how he has helped leaders grow by embracing grace and humility. With decades of experience coaching executives in the construction industry, W...
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Relationships in leadership are vital for success—both with clients and with your crew. This week, global business development expert Hilary Fordwich brings 30+ years of experience to unpack how strong leadership attracts business, builds loyalty, and drives results. Through her “Want v. Need” framework, Hilary explains how to develop teams that don’t just perform, they believe in the work. Listeners will learn the three characteri...
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May 6, 2025 • 37 mins
This week Aaron Witt, the Founder of BuildWitt, joins us to share how a relentless drive for curiosity has shaped his leadership journey—and how it can do the same for you. Aaron emphasizes that building authentic cultures and investing in people as individuals, not just workers, is the secret to success. Drawing from global experiences and countless conversations with industry leaders, he shows how staying continually curious and ...
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How can you transition between roles while staying true to your values? This week’s guest, Deb Schwerman, demonstrates that a passion for your work and industry can reinforce those values, no matter your position. As the current Executive Director of the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association, she shares her journey—from inspecting asphalt in the field and testing samples in the lab to leading industry-wide initiatives. Her willing...
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April 22, 2025 • 45 mins
This special edition honors National Work Zone Awareness Week with an in-depth look at how awareness, advocacy, and innovation are creating safer job sites for road workers. First, we hear from Mitch Baldwin and Cameron Greene —two leading voices in the Work Zone Safety Coalition—who break down the latest policy efforts, the impact of federal and state-level changes, and how you can join the awareness campaign. Then, we spotlight N...
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Diverse professional experiences play a crucial role in shaping effective, people-centered leadership. This week, Maure Creager, the Director of Circular Economy at CertainTeed, discusses how her varied background has enabled her to successfully transition into the asphalt pavement industry. She offers valuable advice for professionals aspiring to leadership roles, highlighting the importance of surrounding oneself with diverse per...
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Adam Tarnow didn’t plan to become a leadership expert—but his curiosity and drive to be a better boss led him to coach hundreds of professionals to become leaders others want to follow. This week, Adam helps us break down three essential traits every leader needs—and how asphalt pavement professionals can apply them to lead teams, projects, and companies more successfully. He highlights the importance of being realistically optimis...
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Successful leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about building healthy relationships within and outside your organization. For this week’s episode, Audrey Copeland returns to the studio to lead a conversation with Christine Shaw, President and CEO of Naylor Association Solutions, a company that has partnered with NAPA for over 20 years. Together, they explore how partnerships, humility, and visibility shape effective l...
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March 25, 2025 • 30 mins
What role do values play in setting the direction of a company? During this week’s episode, we learn how Superior Paving’s focus on developing remarkable employees through excellence, partnership, integrity, and commitment (EPIC) has strengthened their company culture. With the help of David White, President of Superior Paving, we discuss how values aren’t just words on a wall, but a daily practice that shapes decision-making and l...
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March 18, 2025 • 26 mins
Creativity isn’t solely reserved for artists, it’s a critical skill that leaders can use to innovate, adapt, and thrive. This week, Richard and Brett welcome Josh Linkner – entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and jazz musician – to the studio to uncover how leaders can embrace their innate creative abilities. After an inspiring session at Annual Meeting, we dive deeper into Josh’s 5 Big Principles, learn personal stories of overcomin...
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March 11, 2025 • 27 mins
This week, we sit down with NAPA President and CEO Dr. Audrey Copeland to discuss her journey from engineer to industry leader. Audrey shares insights on leadership transitions, the key qualities of successful leaders, and key moments that helped her succeed on her career path. She also discusses the importance of setting the right tone as a leader, making decisive choices, and embracing change. Tune in to hear her perspectives on ...
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March 4, 2025 • 29 mins
Season nine of Pave It Black returns and we're diving into the topic of leadership. To kick things off, we sit down with Pat Nelson, newly elected NAPA Chairman and President of Lehman-Roberts, a Granite Company. Pat reflects on his path from fieldwork to industry leadership, the role of mentorship, and why advocacy is essential for shaping the future of the asphalt pavement industry. Don’t miss this deep dive into what leadership ...
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November 19, 2024 • 27 mins
In the final episode of Season 8, we pick up our conversation with Tim Kowalski and Laikram Narsingh from Wirtgen Group. We explore two innovative technologies changing the asphalt pavement industry: 3D paving and Cold Central Plant Recycling. We learn what these technologies are, how they were developed, and we share real-world examples of these technologies in action. Join us as we wrap up this season focused on Technology and th...
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November 12, 2024 • 30 mins
For the penultimate episode of Season 8, we kick off the first half of a two-part conversation with Tim Kowalski and Laikram Narsingh from Wirtgen Group. During this conversation, Tim and Nars delve into the critical role of training and sustainability in asphalt paving. We explore how to help the workforce understand and adopt new technologies and discuss the retention challenges manufacturers are facing. Finally, we discuss how ...
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October 29, 2024 • 25 mins
This week, Richard and Brett explore the technology of wear parts. With the help of Brian Handshoe and Randy Barrington from Kenco Engineering, we break down what wear parts are, how this technology evolved, and where Kenco stands as an innovator in the field. From asphalt drums to auger blades, we’ll discuss specific examples of wear parts, including best practices for integration and maintenance to maximize equipment lifespan. Fi...
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October 22, 2024 • 35 mins
In this episode of Pave It Black, we delve into the technologies and strategies shaping the European asphalt pavement industry. With the help of Breixo Gómez Meijide, Technical Director for the European Asphalt Pavement Association (EAPA), we look at the innovations helping the industry work towards its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050. We discuss emerging topics such as low-temperature asphalt, the circular economy, and the po...
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October 15, 2024 • 29 mins
In this episode of Pave It Black, we discuss how specialized software can enhance your operations. While many think of everyday tools like Office 365 and CRM databases, there are software platforms uniquely designed for the needs of asphalt pavement companies. To dig deeper, we talk to Ari Bleemer from OneCrew, a company at the forefront of creating innovative software solutions for our industry. Ari shares the story behind develop...
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