The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) named Reed Ryan its executive director, effective Feb. 7.
Ryan currently serves as executive director of the Utah Asphalt Pavement Association (UAPA) and immediate past chair of the State Asphalt Pavement Associations (SAPAs). Ryan has led UAPA since its inception 12 years ago and chaired SAPAs in 2023.
“Opportunities like this do not come around very often, so I am excited for the chance that all of the APA partners now have to write the next chapter of this alliance,” Ryan says. “I’m confident that the future is very bright for the APA and the essential industry we support.”
Founded more than 20 years ago, APA is a partnership between the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), Asphalt Institute and SAPAs. The partners represent the asphalt pavement and binder industries in the U.S, working together in the areas of asphalt pavement promotion and pavement type selection to ensure asphalt is the pavement of choice, fostering market growth and safeguarding the industry’s longevity.
NAPA staff manage APA’s strategy, programs and operations. As APA executive director, Ryan will report to Audrey Copeland, NAPA president and CEO, and oversee a team comprised of APA technical director Buzz Powell, director of alliances and awards Michelle Kirk and APA deployment manager Brittyn Heisler.
As the new APA executive director, Ryan will bring together the collective minds and expertise of those in the pavement industry with a focus on advancing asphalt pavements for quality, sustainability and long life, according to APA. This includes identifying and capitalizing on market opportunities for asphalt pavements such as bringing research, development and technology to market faster, along with being a trusted resource to pavement stakeholders and decision makers.
“Reed’s enthusiasm for bringing NAPA, the SAPAs and other stakeholders together has been evident in his leadership of UAPA and the SAPAs along with his consistent, committed engagement with NAPA,” Copeland says. “His expertise and insights will empower the APA with fresh ideas to maintain the asphalt pavement industry’s superior product and reputation, while overcoming any challenges that may arise in the design or delivery of the industry’s products and services to communities across the nation.”