Meet the VECAT Summer Class Instructors

With just eight short weeks left to go before the VECAT’s newest recycle and reclaim classes, we thought you might like to get an early peek at some of the instructors that have committed to help us in class. Keep an eye on this section as we start to introduce some of those folks between now and the January time frame.

 

 

This will be Alex’s first season assisting with the VECAT program. Alex recently took the job of Safety Manager at Slurry after working alongside former manager and VECAT instructor Ken Olsen for several years. Alex holds a degree in Environmental Health Science from Ohio University and is a member of the National Safety Council, the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the American Society of Safety Engineers, and the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance. In his spare time, Alex enjoys playing sports, exercising and hunting.

 

Mark Stahl is Wirtgen’s Product Manager for Recycling Products and will be joining VECAT to share his knowledge on Full Depth Reclamation equipment and construction techniques. He has led and managed various recycling projects for over 20 years in several states. These projects include FDR with cement, lime, emulsion and foam; CIR projects with emulsion and foam; and CIPR with emulsion and foam. His experience comes from both working for a contractor and supporting customers of the Wirtgen Group. Mark hold a BS in Business Administration from Millikin University and is a member of the Asphalt Recycling and Reclaiming Association (ARRA). In his spare time, he enjoys upland hunting, fishing, shooting and spending time with his children.

 

David joins the VECAT team as a first time instructor, but brings many years of Full Depth Reclamation experience as Slurry Pavers’ FDR expert. David will be focusing his attention on the basics of FDR, materials, where and why to use, and Benefits.

Trenton is the Director of Engineering for the Virginia Asphalt Association. Partnered with VAA since January 2011, he spent the previous 12 years with the Virginia Department of Transportation responsible for the technical activities of the association. He currently leads efforts related to specifications development and enhancement, pavement design issues, research, and technical training. He serves on several technical committees within Virginia as well as with the Transportation Research Board, National Center for Asphalt Technology and the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Trenton will have teaching responsibilities in all three summer classes.

2017 Cold Asphalt Recycling-Field Instructors:

 

Buzz is coming to VECAT this summer from his position as Assistant Director and Test Track Manager at Auburn University in Alabama. He will be addressing the topic of Cold Asphalt Recycling Paving Equipment and Construction Techniques. Buzz has a long-time history with Auburn University, having received a BS in Civil Engineering with a focus in Transportation and Materials, an MS in Civil Engineering with a focus in Asphalt Mix Design and a PHD in Civil Engineering with a focus in Pavement and Geomaterials from there. He shares this knowledge with the Transportation Research Board, the International society for Asphalt Pavements, the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, the National Association of Inventors, and now VECAT. What spare time he has, he enjoys physical fitness, vintage boating and spending time with his grandkids.

 

Brian has helped VECAT in a variety of ways during its development stages, but will be joining us as an instructor for the first time this summer.  Like Buzz, he is also a dedicated student to his University of choice, having received his BS, MS and a PHD in Civil Engineering at Virginia Tech.  Brian is a member of the association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, the Transportation Research Board Committee, AFD30 and General and Emerging Pavement Design. He has many professional honors to his name, including Pavement Recycling and Reclaiming Center, Award for Outstanding Technical Paper, Principal Investigator, NCHRP Project 9-62, Rapid Tests and Specifications for Construction of Asphalt-Treated Cold Recycled Pavements and Virginia Tech Department of Civil Engineering, Outstanding Young Alumni Award to name a few. In his spare time, you will find Brian "herding" his three young boys, target shooting and enjoying photography.

 

Mike comes to VECAT as a first-time instructor, but brings a great deal of recycling knowledge and experience to the program as Wirtgen America’s Director of Recycling. Mike helped Wirtgen to develop its recycling division and has worked in all types of pavement recycling, low volume to Interstate traffic volumes and in all types of climates.  Mark has also developed and managed recycling projects, worked with Foamed Asphalt & Emulsion, CIR, CCPR and FDR in many countries including Western Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Central & South America, Mexico, Caribbean, USA & Canada. Mark will be covering Plant Operations in the Cold Asphalt Recycling Plant class and CIR Equipment in the Cold Asphalt Recycling Field class.

 

 

J.R. will be returning to VECAT this this summer to cover Plant Safety for the CIR Plant class.  With nearly 15 years of experience overseeing safety in the construction industry, J.R. currently serves as Lane’s Corporate Safety Manager of Field Operations. He has been instrumental in helping Lane to greatly improve its safety program and performance by fostering a safety culture where people take ownership for, and value, safe work. J.R. holds dozens of safety and environmental certifications, including: Certified Occupational Safety Specialist designation; OSHA 500 Outreach Instructor; ATTSA traffic control supervisor basic and intermediate instructor; NSC first-aid and CPR instructor; and the Radiation Safety Officer designation.