The Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana (APAI) has welcomed industry leaders Dudley Bonte, Jim Burdick and Jim Gross into the APAI Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held at APAI’s Annual Conference & Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Burdick graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1976. He then spent four years as a city engineer in the city of Terre Haute before joining Wabash Valley Asphalt as an estimator in 1980. Over the years, Burdick climbed the ladder, eventually serving as the company’s president from 2005 until his retirement in 2015.
Gross got his start in the industry in 1977 as an intern at Fauber Construction. After graduating from Purdue University, he joined the company full-time as an estimator. He then worked for Rieth-Riley Construction in northern Indiana, among other opportunities, before returning to Fauber as its estimation manager. After Fauber was purchased by The Heritage Group, Gross continued his career with The Heritage Group and Milestone Contractors, where he worked for more than 20 years as an area manager and Vice President of Asphalt Plants. He retired from Milestone Contractors in January 2018.
Both Burdick and Gross remained active members of APAI throughout their career. Burdick served as President of the APAI Board of Directors in 2004, is a member of Indiana Contractors, Inc. (ICI), and has served on the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) recycling committee. Gross served on the association’s technical, scholarship and conference planning committees, and served as the President of the APAI Board of Directors in Technical Director for APAI where he retired in 2017.
Bonte spent 40 years with Rieth-Riley Construction Company, where he retired as Regional Quality Control Director. He also served on its Board of Directors for his last seven years with the company. Throughout his career, Bonte remained active within APAI, serving on several committees, including the association’s scholarship, education and technical committees. Shortly after retiring from Rieth-Riley, Bonte served three years as Technical Director for APAI where he retired in 2017. He is a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologist.
Congratulations to Dudley Bonte, Jim Burdick and Jim Gross!]