Keyword New for NPE’s Offerings

With the annual event right around the corner, National Pavement Expo (NPE) staff are putting the final touches on the education programming for the paving and pavement maintenance audience gathering in Tampa Jan. 23-25, 2024. While some speakers and topics are in such high demand from attendees that they can’t be left off the agenda, the programming team went all out to bring a host of new sessions to the 2024 show. The upcoming event will present 80% new content to help attendees put real-world information into practice when they go back to the field, office or estimator’s seat. Let’s take a look at an enticing example or two.

Attendees nearly cleaned out the tradeshow floor during NPE 2023. If the iron wasn’t “for demonstration purposes only,” contractors were buying it, loading it up and taking it home to put it to work. Photo courtesy of NPE

While the programming includes important topics for decision-makers in the C-suite—about two dozen in the employee management, leadership, business operations, and sales and marketing tracks—speakers are bringing their A game to topics in the how-to realm of paving, sealcoating, striping and technology.

NPE 2024 will present 80% new content to help attendees put real-world information into practice when they go back to the field. Visit nationalpavementexpo.com for details!

New for 2024, a technology track features presentations from Austin Rabine, president of The Rabine Group; Chelsea Ellis-Hogan, president, and Samuel Ellis, co-owner, of Jim Reynolds Asphalt Contractor Inc.; Shane Farlin, owner of Quality Asphalt & Maintenance LLC; and others still being confirmed.

At the 2023 NPE in Charlotte, learning took place on the tradeshow floor as well as in the education sessions. Paving Consultant John Ball set up shop at the AsphaltPro magazine booth to share knowledge and answer questions during the magazine’s “Ask the Expert” hours. Photo courtesy of AsphaltPro

What attendees will find unique to the programming at NPE is the high level of expertise of the presenters. Knowledgeable members of the asphalt paving industry such as Tanya Nash and Steve McReynolds of Duval Asphalt, Vince Hafeli of Ajax Paving of Florida, returning speaker Wayne Jones of the Asphalt Institute, Mark Roberts of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, returning speaker John Ball of Top Quality Paving & Training, among a host of others, will offer actionable information.

Take the team of Gary Stapleton and Dejah Anderson as merely one example. Stapleton is the operations manager at Anderson Striping & Construction Inc. Anderson is the COO there. Not only can they talk shop with anyone who has a striping question, they’re presenting on the heart of an issue our industry faces day in and day out: building up and retaining our workforce. Their topic, “Building Striping Teams for the Next Generation,” will be held Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., giving the audience 90 minutes to learn how to navigate the transitioning workforce, while attracting and engaging young talent; how to design a plan for a structure of team building and cross training within striping crews; and how to develop actionable strategies to mentor, train and retain the crucial striping work force.

A spokesperson for the show shared, “We’ve got an awesome line up of speakers for NPE 2024—including 20+ new speakers—and an equally impressive collection of session topics, 80% of them being new to the 2024 conference agenda, never presented at our show.”

During the 2023 NPE education sessions, the Women of Asphalt held a panel discussion for workforce development. Photo courtesy of NPE

Something the team has brought back is a structured opportunity to network for those folks who might not be comfortable walking up and starting a conversation on their own. Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 11 a.m. to noon, four rooms will be set up with industry topics for a “morning huddle.” Pick the one you want to participate in and let the conversational atmosphere of industry pals helping one another put you at ease.

Another opportunity to network with ease is being arranged through the clever and thoughtful guidance of Elle O’Flaherty, CEO of Interlace Solutions. She’ll give the presentation “Conference Connect” in the leadership track from 3:00 to 4:30 Tuesday, Jan. 23, and then all attendees are welcome to put their new skills into practice at the following networking event, “Conference Connect: In Action,” from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

If you’re looking for big inspiration at this year’s NPE, arrive early for the “Iron-Sharpened Leadership” session Tuesday morning, presented by Major General John L. Gronski (U.S. Army Retired). He’s the founder and CEO of the consulting firm Leader Grove LLC. Gronski is not only an international speaker, leadership trainer and executive coach, but is also a graduate of Penn State with a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. He’s a decorated combat veteran and his impressive bio at https://nationalpavementexpo.com/conference/speakers/ should attract a standing room only crowd.

Whether your interest at NPE is in leadership training, paving advice, employee management ideas, sealcoating tips and tricks, educating a few members of your core crew, or some other aspect of growing your business, the knowledge you’ll be exposed to in the 2024 agenda will put you on the right path. The AsphaltPro magazine staff looks forward to seeing you and your crews in the education sessions and on the tradeshow floor, learning and networking alongside us.

Make your travel plans early and register all your top operators now on nationalpavementexpo.com. We’ll see you in Tampa in January.