Arizona Rock Products Association:

Where teamwork and passion prevail

What do you get when a former football player teams up with a full-time sculptor to run one of Arizona’s oldest mining associations? You get the Arizona Rock Products Association (ARPA) – one of the most dynamic, successful and eclectic trade associations in the Southwest.

ARPA in the economy

At six feet, two inches and 235 pounds, ARPA Director Steve Trussell would get plenty of atten­tion even if he wasn’t barking out statistics in front of a microphone. Trussell is quick to point out that the rock products industry – sand and gravel mining firms, crushed stone producers, ready-mix concrete suppliers, concrete product and asphalt manufacturers, as well as cement producers – contribute nearly $3 billion in direct output, production and deliveries in Arizona annu­ally. ARPA members provide the raw ingredients that make construction possible and despite the recent downturn, the efficient production of sand, gravel, cement and asphalt remain prerequisites to Arizona’s construction-based economy.

Trussell’s advocacy work is supported by a strong offense that includes former Arizona State Senate Majority Leader Rusty Bowers. A professional sculptor by trade, Bowers is a fourth-generation Arizonan in a state in which a few summers is all it takes for recent immi­grants to claim they are natives. Together, Steve Trussell and Rusty Bowers work to ensure that Arizona politicians, regulators and the general public understand that without the rock products generated by ARPA producers construction on new roads, houses and other critical infrastruc­ture comes to a standstill — or even more of a standstill.

However, ARPA is much more than an indus­try glee club or cheering section.

ARPA in the community

The ARPA management and Board knows that in order to build Arizona, ARPA members have to produce a lot more than aggregates, asphalt and cement; they have to invest in people and commu­nities throughout the state. ARPA has an ongoing list of community relations projects that provide ARPA members with the opportunity to support local communities. For example, ARPA sponsors a project that provides transition housing for vet­erans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. ARPA members donate time and materials to rebuild local playgrounds. ARPA even provided the mate­rials and installation for the Navajo Code Talker monument at the Arizona Capital Plaza.

One project that is a favorite of board mem­bers is ARPA’s annual series of essay contests at local high schools and universities. This year for example, Jessica Heigh of Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale was awarded a $1,000 scholarship check donated by the Southwestern Patrons of the Concrete Industry Management Program at Arizona State University.

Jessica’s entry entitled “Concrete: My Medium” will be entered into the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s (NRMCA) nation­wide essay contest. The winner of the national contest will be flown, along with a parent or guard­ian, to NRMCA’s 2009 convention in Orlando, FL in March 2009. While the typical high school student might prefer to write an essay called “Texting: My Passion”, or provide 2,000 words about her favorite Jonas Brother, ARPA scholar­ships allow kids like Jessica to excel in academic projects that give them a better understand­ing of the world around them while giving them a head start towards a college education.

Safety and environ­mental compliance are ARPA’s top priorities, so ARPA hosts a series of monthly safety meet­ings and environmental workshops to ensure that its members are aware of the latest regulations and innovations.

ARPA management also understands that for most people, their only direct exposure to an ARPA member is on the road. That’s why ARPA established the “Driver of the Quarter” safety award. This distinguished honor recognizes members of the aggregate, concrete, cement and asphalt delivery industry and their signifi­cant career achievements, safety performance, professionalism, and customer service skills in a manner that will further enhance the public image of the career delivery truck driver.

ARPA in the arena

While hosting economic presentations, essay contests and safety awards make ARPA a better corporate citizen and helps to improve Arizona’s future, ARPA management understands that in order to really represent its members well, a trade association has to make a substantial mark on public policy. Rules that seem arcane to the average citizen — city policies concerning recy­cled asphalt, county regulations regarding used oil, state procedures regulating commodity price adjuster clauses — are critical to the survival of ARPA members and ultimately have a dramatic affect on the cost of critical infrastructure and the speed with which it is deployed.

The Arizona Rock Products Association may not be the biggest or most powerful trade association in the Southwest, but under the lead­ership of Steve Trussell and Rusty Bowers, it is one of the most effective. ARPA members enjoy the benefit of knowing that the ARPA team is working to demonstrate ARPA members’ impact on the economy, showcasing ARPA’s role in the community, and above all, making sure that ARPA members are represented in the policy arena.

Steve Trussell may have exchanged a football arena for a policy arena, but the principles are the same: Work as a team, play by the rules, think on your feet and above all, keep your eye on the ball.