Executive Director’s Message By Ches Blevins – A Renewed Focus

Executive Director’s Message By Ches Blevins – A Renewed Focus

TMRA Members and Friends: First, I hope that each of you, or as many as possible, have already made plans to join TMRA and the RMCMI for our April 21-22 event in Tyler, TX. If you have yet to make plans but can make it happen, IT IS NOT TOO LATE! Reach out to us. See the event flyer and LINK in this eNewsletter. We need your participation and, where possible, your sponsorship support. Our April eNewsletter theme, “A Renewed Focus,” includes a focus and commitment to our combined efforts to support our organizations, our industries and, from that, our Communities!

Second, please read or reread our lead article provided by our TMRA Secretary, Rebecca McGrew. She says it so very well with “As we roll into the second month of spring, we celebrate life and renewal. Winter melts away, red clover and bluebonnets bloom, and the COVID vaccination roll-out gains momentum. In the spirit of hope and life, it’s time to recommit to safety – for ourselves and for our fellow miners.” Visualize with me this picture and know that you, each of you, have played and are playing an important role in assuring that our communities are healthy and that the tens of thousands of acres mined and reclaimed reflect the VERY BEST. Not only have I heard it said, but I have had the privilege of being on the ground to confirm, that our Operations in Texas reflect our commitment not just to our companies and communities but, in a very positive way, to the protection and enhancement of our environment!

Our success in Texas also recognizes, encourages and promotes Worker Safety as a critical responsibility and FOCUS of all that we do. I have never been on site at one of our Texas Mining Operations where Safety, Worker, Equipment and Operations Safety, was not just talked about but was, in fact, a PRIORITY.

With a New Administration at the Federal level and our Texas Legislature in Session and ACTIVE, our Industries MUST work together and be FOCUSED on our Goals and Objectives. Only by working together, with ONE VOICE wherever possible, will our opportunities for success be maximized. At the national level there are upside opportunities for those in the aggregates and related industries if any movement is actually possible to rebuild, repair and expand our transportation infrastructure. We are also seeing unwarranted attacks and legislative/policy efforts to pick Winners and Losers in the energy arena based NOT on science but on political agendas. In Texas, following the unprecedented Winter storm, our Energy Industry is under the microscope and, rest assured, under assault if not full blown attack. Our TMRA Members and friends are working tirelessly ON YOUR BEHALF to assure that changes proposed and implemented are those that can help Texas and its Citizens going forward. Our TMRA Members in the aggregates industry are, for the second Session, seeing unprecedented legislative efforts to restrict their locations and operations, not always considering that their products and services are critical to our Texas Economy. We are working closely with the Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association (TACA) in educating our Legislators to all of the positives of these businesses and the harm from being overly restrictive without a basis in safety, protection of the environment or the welfare of all Texans. Bottom line: You are needed and WE can only Work Together Effectively IF YOU ARE ACTIVE WITH TMRA AND OUR ALLIES LIKE RMCMI and NMA!

ALERT: Next month, for May, our THEME will be “Education is Our Key to Success.” Knowing how important our TMRA Education and Outreach efforts are to our industries, our citizens and to Texas, it is our Mission to spread the word!

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL, IN PERSON, VERY SOON! Best always! Know that you are Valued and PLEASE reach out whenever we can assist! 

Ches Blevins,
TMRA Executive Director