Two men from the Southeast have been named as honorary life members of the American Concrete Pavement Association.

Rolland Johns and M. Lee Powell III were honored for their passion and advocacy for the concrete pavement industry.

Powell retired from the Ballenger Paving Division of APAC-Southeast Inc. after 45 years.

In spite of his official retirement, Powell continues to be a steadfast supporter, contributor, advocate and friend to the industry.

He is a recipient of the ACPA Hartmann-Hirschman award for more than 40 years of service to the industry and is the only person in the association’s history to serve twice as its chairman — once in 1985 and again in 1999.

He was recognized by the South Carolina Senate as one of the state’s most outstanding and respected leaders.

Since the 1960s, he has occupied almost every ACPA committee or leadership position, ranging from technical to market development to government affairs.

Powell was part of a steering committee in 1998 that led the industry to the most comprehensive market research program in history. A year later, Powell helped lead the charge as chairman when the industry began to implement a new business plan, which led to a more than 20 percent increase in highway marketshare.

“It is my great and sincere pleasure to present the ACPA honorary life membership award to a true gentleman, a first-class contractor and a good friend who has touched many, many more lives both in the industry and in the community at large,” said Peter Deem, 2006 ACPA chairman.

Johns has worked in the cement, aggregate, concrete admixture and ready mixed concrete businesses for more than three decades.

He began his career with Master Builders in 1971 in sales and marketing and was eventually promoted to director of admixture marketing and vice president of U.S. sales. He also held various senior-level sales and marketing positions with Vulcan Materials, CALMAT Corp. and Florida Mining & Materials (Southdown Inc.).

He was corporate vice president of marketing for Southdown and continued in this role when the company was acquired by CEMEX in 2000.

Johns has served as chairman of ACPA and was a member of the executive committee and board member for many years. He is an active member of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and the Insulating Concrete Form Association. He also played an active role in the Portland Cement Association, serving as board member and on the executive committee for more than 12 years.

He is currently a consultant with BASF Admixtures.

“Rolland has been a staunch advocate for the cement and concrete pavement industries,” Deem said. “For those of you who have heard him speak in public forums, you know that there are few people as passionate and caring about our industries as Rolland.”

For more information, visit www.pavement.com.

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