ASPHALT COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING (ACT) PROGRAM VISITS PINE BEND REFINERY
The Asphalt Comprehensive Training Program (ACT) inaugural
class was invited to Minneapolis, MN last week to visit the Flint Hills Resource (FHR) Pine Bend Refinery, the (FHR) St. Paul Emulsion Facility
and the Savage Polymer Blending Facility. This was the first event for the ACT group that will include visits to aggregate suppliers, equipment sales / production, and asphalt laydown operations. The program was developed by APAI staff and APAI members, Charles Boan of Flint Hills Resources, Doug Wilson of Scott Van Keppel and Jeff Cirks of Manatts, Inc. to introduce young leaders in Iowa’s asphalt industry to all aspects of asphalt materials, production, and placement. Jeff Cirks, developer and member of the first ACT class had this to say regarding the two-day event, “Looking back at our first ACT event to Pine Bend Refinery is surreal. What started out as an idea, turned into a tangible item that could really help promote and change the asphalt industry in the future. I am very excited about the group of young ambitious leaders that has been established in the ACT program.
We started off with a tutorial on the day-to-day operations of Flint Hills Refinery, which is heavily concentrated on Pine Bend. After talking with the other group members, I feel like we all learned more from that one day then most of us expected, particularly from Rod [ Swain ] and his boundless knowledge of all things oil. The tour guide of the facility was very educational. We all had an opportunity to ask questions along the way and put the pieces together. We then ended the night watching the Twins pull out a win. Day two we started off with a group discussion and then we continued to visit two more facilities. The trip was very eye opening, educational, and fun.
We want to thank everyone at FHR who took time out of their day to enlighten all of us. We also want to give a special thanks to Charles Boan for his efforts in making this group, and its first event, a great success.
Members of the 2017 Asphalt Comprehensive Training Program (ACT) inaugural class are Jeff Cirks, Manatts, Inc.; Alissa Wagner, Board Advocate, Blacktop Services; Randy Holladay, FHR; Mike Mathiesen, Henningsen Const., Inc.; Don Brownsberger, Henningsen Const.,Inc.; Chris Jessen, Heartland Asphalt; Jonathon Nalavenko, OMG Midwest Group; Stephanie Smith, FHR; Mike Swing, Midstate Reclamation; John Peterson Midstate Reclamation; Marc Leonard. LL Pelling Co., Inc.
The next ACT meeting will be June 13-14 in Ames, IA and will include visits to the Martin Marietta mine and the Iowa State University Lab and Bio-Polymer Facility.

