News
Time to Start Preparing for the 2022 IMAA Awards!
While it may be the middle of summer right now, the 2023 IMAA Winter Workshops will be here before we know it! And with the Winter Workshops comes the IMAA Annual Awards program. Each year, IMAA awards individuals, companies, and mine sites that have gone above and beyond industry standards in safety, in environmental, in community relations, or all of the above. IMAA wants to recognize members’ accomplishments in the company of their peers, and there is no better time or place than at the annual Winter Workshops. The IMAA Annual Awards presentation program has been moved to the final luncheon of the Winter Workshops to cap off the event with the successes of the industry.
What awards can I, my site, or my company apply for?
IMAA has both Company Awards and Individual Awards. Companies and individual sites can apply for the Excellence in Mining Awards, Community Connection Award, Transportation Company of the Year Award or Associate Company of the Year Award. Individuals can be nominated by their peers for the Miner of the Year Award, IMAA Valor Award, or the Trucker of the Year Award. All of the applications and nomination information can be found on the IMAA website at indmaa.org/awards (or under Member Resources in the menu).
A look back at the 2021 IMAA Awards
Even with the snow moving in that Wednesday afternoon of the 2022 IMAA Winter Workshops, IMAA presented several member companies and outstanding individuals with awards for their achievements the previous year.
Jim Reilman from INDOT presented 12 locations, one small producer and one large producer for each INDOT district, with CAPP Quality Achievement Awards in recognition of outstanding performance as a Certified Aggregate Producer. This year, the overall state winners were Mulzer Crushed Stone Griffin Plant for the Small Producer and Rogers Group, Inc. Bloomington Quarry for the Large Producer.
Next former PIE Committee Chair Liza Cobb of General Drilling presented the Excellence in Mining Awards for 2021. The IMAA Excellence in Mining Awards are presented to Producer member locations that go above and beyond day to day operations in the categories of Environment, Safety, Employee Relations and Community Involvement. Thirty-three IMAA member locations received Gold Excellence in Mining Awards for their accomplishments in 2021.
Safety Committee Chair Brad Wales of IMI awarded 113 individual plants, representing 32 companies for their safety efforts. 53 locations were awarded for 1 year to 4 years of safe work and 61 locations represented 5 years to 29 years of safe work. Total injury free time recognized was the equivalent of 773 years. The criteria for safe work is no reportable lost time injuries for the most recent full calendar year available from MSHA, which means the 2021 Safety Awards are based on the 2020 safety data.
Liza Cobb (left) presented the IMAA President’s Distinguished Service Award by Ken Mulzer (right).
After the conclusion of the Safety Awards, IMAA Immediate Past President Ken Mulzer presented the IMAA President’s Distinguished Service Award to Liza Cobb of General Drilling. Liza had just finished her term as the Public Information and Education (PIE) Committee Chair. Liza has been active on the PIE Committee for many years from when she first started work with General Drilling. She was instrumental in transitioning the 3-day Teachers Workshop to the week-long BLAST Institute. She has led scouting activities and volunteered during the Junior Achievement Job Spark event for 8th graders. One of her most impressive achievements throughout her term as PIE Committee Chair was to continue to prioritize outreach activities at a time when doors were closed and kids were not in classrooms. She helped steer the PIE Committee to virtual programs like the Virtual JA JobSpark event in both 2020 and 2021 and an online Mining in Society Merit badge program. Congratulations to Liza, and thank you for your leadership on the PIE Committee.
IMAA Executive Director Calvin Lee then presented the IMAA Keystone Award to Gene Yarkie of Rieth-Riley Construction Co. The Keystone Award recognizes an individual in the aggregates industry who has shown exceptional leadership and outstanding dedication to advance the goals, growth, and well being of the Indiana aggregates industry. Gene was honored for his dedicated tenure and exceptional leadership through the different levels of the association’s Executive leadership team. Calvin has personally had the distinct pleasure of working with Gene in many facets of the road construction industry, and shared that all who have experienced the joy of working with Gene would impart the same sentiments as to his kindness.
Occasionally IMAA determines that an individual deserves to be recognized as a friend to the aggregates industry and therefore makes them an Honorary Aggie. IMAA Board Officer Spencer Depoy had the honor of awarding Representative Steve Bartels this prestigious award for his assistance with helping the association navigate its way through the legislative process to change the law governing Construction in a Floodway permitting and his overall support of the aggregates industry.
The final award of the ceremony was presented by IMAA Past President John Schmidt. He presented the IMAA Miner of the Year Award which exemplifies the very best in the profession, and these individuals continually bring credit to the industry and to their community. In 2021, IMAA recognized Joe Long from US Aggregates as having contributed significantly to the aggregates industry by providing a safe working environment, being innovative and solving problems, demonstrating a concern for the environment, and contributing to the betterment of his community through civic and community affairs.
Joe Long (left) receives the IMAA Miner of the Year Award from John Schmidt (right).
Joe began his career in the mining industry in 1999 in Hollywood Alabama as a mechanic for a sand and gravel plant. Joe moved back home to Indiana in 2005 due to an opportunity to develop several virgin dimensional surface mines as well as 3 underground mines for Indiana Limestone as Plant manager. He worked at Indiana Limestone until 2010 when he was approached by Heritage Aggregates to help start up the Springville operation, and in 2013 Joe accepted the position of his current role of Plant Manager.
With 22 years in the industry, Joe has made an impression as a dedicated manager. His employees regard him as knowledgeable about every aspect of the operation, and he is always looking for ways to improve. He encourages teamwork to find ways to make operations safer and more efficient. He is also passionate about bringing new people into the industry and mentoring them for success. Joe truly makes working hard safe and fun for his team. He is a safety role model. He spends time developing rehabilitation programs to minimize the environmental impacts of mining at his site, and he makes sure that his operation is active in the community. Joe does not focus on being in the spotlight, but gives credit to the people around him for their successes. Congratulations to Joe for being named the 2021 IMAA Miner of the Year.