Grass retiring as president
By Kendal Butler
After 23 years at the helm of an international trade association, Pete Grass announced his impending retirement from the Asphalt Institute (AI) and the Asphalt Institute Foundation (AIF) earlier this year.
When he retires on January 1, 2025, he will finish the longest presidency in the 105-year history of the Asphalt Institute.
During his tenure, Grass has effectively led both organizations while building and strengthening relationships with key industry partners, including Eurobitume, NAPA (National Asphalt Pavement Association), ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association) and more.
As a founding board member of AIF, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, he has helped make a positive impact on students and the petroleum binder industry through strategic research.
“AIF has the Kirk Scholars scholarship program, which is benefiting college students across the country by helping them achieve their educational goals. That program is robust and continues. We also have an internship program that brings interns from our member companies to Lexington for a few days in June to give them a window into the world of an asphalt career,” said Grass.
The public charity funds research through the Fred M. Fehsenfeld, Sr. Catalyst for Change Initiative and STAR (Strategic Asphalt Research) symposiums. These invitation-only symposiums of industry leaders were held in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2017 and Atlanta, Georgia in 2022.
“Those symposiums served as conversations about strategic binder research needs in our industry that we could potentially solve. AIF committees turn the ideas and concepts discussed into research needs statements,” said Grass.
Research projects currently funded by AIF include “Paving Asphalt Durability”, “Understanding and Improving Asphalt Shingle Durability”, “Treatment of Recycled Tear-off Asphalt Shingles for Reuse in Roofing and Paving Applications” and the nearly completed “Asphalt Binder Market Study – Analyzing the Petroleum Asphalt Binder Supply Chain in a Net-Zero World.”
The Asphalt Institute has focused more diligently on sustainability practices over the last few years. In 2019, AI published the industry’s first life cycle assessment (LCA) of asphalt binders. Grass and the organization added Dr. Chait Bhat as the association’s first sustainability engineer in 2021.
Grass explains how AI is working on product category rules (PCR) and the first-ever environmental product declaration (EPD) for asphalt binders. In early 2025 the EPD tool will be available for the association members to use as part of the bid process in states where it is required.
Grass said, “I think that’s a significant shift in terms of what is required of our member companies to compete in a changing landscape, which now includes sustainability.
“A big question is how these tools will be used in the future and a huge part of that is education. Dr. Bhat has helped us all learn more about the language of sustainability.”
Education is a top priority of the Asphalt Institute with in-person and online training sessions offered at their headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky and around the globe. Grass has helped those programs grow over the last 23 years.
“We build things that help our members succeed in their professional careers in the industry like the National Binder Technician Certification (NBTC) and National Emulsion Technician Certification (NETC),” said Grass. “We also created the R18LabQMS quality management software to help testing laboratories meet accreditation requirements under AASHTO’s re:Source program.”
He details the evolution of the asphalt binder industry over the last two decades with widespread use of additives in asphalt mixes, polymer-modified binders, REOB/VTAE (re-refined engine oil bottoms/vacuum tower asphalt extender), RAP (reclaimed asphalt pavements), RAS (recycled asphalt shingles), plantbased and chemical-based additives, rejuvenators and more. Understanding all these developing technologies and explaining it to our industry practitioners are crucial parts of AI’s educational mission.
“You can end up with a very high-performing mix today – better than we could achieve 20 years ago. The challenge is doing that well in terms of longevity and long-term performance. That’s where education comes in,” said Grass.
Teaching industry professionals and developing leaders in the association has long been a passion for Grass. Establishing the EPIC Leadership Program in 2010 was an important milestone in his time with AI.
EPIC is an acronym for ways adults learn: experiential, participative, image-driven and connected. The eight-month leadership program is designed to prepare 14 up-and coming asphalt industry professionals for important roles in the association’s committee and governance structure and enhance their overall understanding of the industry.
The EPIC participants kick off their terms with a visit to AI headquarters and visit three member-company facilities. They complete a curriculum and collaborate on a group project. Grass considers it a wildly successful program.
Grass said, “When you assemble people in a small class setting, they come together, they get to know each other. In the end, I see many of them doing business together by understanding what other companies are doing and what their needs are. That betters our industry and creates professional and personal ties that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. I’m very proud to see that happen.”
Developing talent is a passion for Pete and it often starts at home with the Asphalt Institute team. He points to the significant longevity of Asphalt Institute employees and their commitment not only to the support and service of the industry but also to the AI members.
“It’s great to work with the skill sets of our professional staff. It’s a close-knit team,” said Grass.
He said his faith in the AI staff and his confidence in the state of the asphalt industry helped him make his decision to retire.
“I feel the organization is at a solid spot of strength, both in terms of staff and resources. The ship is in good shape and that makes it a good time for another leader to come in,” said Grass.
In retirement, he plans to slow down just a bit and focus more on family and friends. He hopes there is a little less travel and time to go fishing occasionally.
“It has been my privilege and honor to lead as president. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with our members, supporters and our staff. Working alongside so many talented and dedicated professionals has been a highlight of my career. In ways, all have become part of my wife Dawn’s and my extended family,” Grass added.
