Staker & Parson Companies Wins National Ecological Award

Lanham, MD -- 15 March 2005 -- The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) announced today that Staker & Parson Companies, of Ogden, Utah, is the winner of the prestigious 2004 NAPA Ecological Award for a Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Facility, sponsored by Roads & Bridges Magazine. The company received this national award on at a special ceremony at the Association's 50th Annual Convention "Pavement Paradise" on the Big Island of Hawaii.

NAPA's Ecological Award competition, which started in 1971, recognizes excellence in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) facility operations. In 2004, Roads & Bridges Magazine stepped forward to co-sponsor the award and bring more attention to the environmentally friendly nature of HMA operations.

"NAPA selects the award recipients using rigorous criteria to evaluate the environmental friendliness of their operations," says Charles F. Potts, Chairman of the NAPA Board of Directors. "The judges determined that Staker & Parson Companies operates in an exemplary manner."

Staker & Parson Companies won the award for its HMA facility located at the company's corporate headquarters in Ogden, Utah. Originally built in 1985, the plant was replaced in 2000 with a newer facility that produces an average of 2000 tons of HMA a day. The plant has already earned NAPA's Diamond Achievement Commendation for Excellence in HMA Plant/Site Operations.

"Our company has been around since 1952, and we have always tried to go above and beyond what's normally considered appropriate for a construction company," says Patrick Clark, Environmental Advisor for Staker and Parson Companies.

The company uses best management practices to control discharges and emissions at the plant site. Employees frequently wash down the facility's equipment and the surrounding area to control dust. All of this water, as well as storm water runoff from the site, is captured with a system of underground drains and an on-site containment area. The plant operates with such low emissions that it was permitted to process contaminated soil during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

NAPA determined that the site looks attractive, an important consideration since it can be seen from the adjacent freeway and the area's main thoroughfares. It includes extensive landscaping with trees, grass, shrubs and flowerbeds. The vegetation that has grown around the containment area now provides a habitat for many species of wild animals.

"We put a lot of money into keeping our plants successfully running and mechanically sound. We also place a huge amount into the aesthetics of all of our sites," comments Greg Gordon, Staker & Parson Companies' asphalt plant superintendent. "We believe that ecology should be important to everyone, so we're always doing anything that we can to protect our neighbors."

"NAPA selects the award recipients using rigorous criteria to evaluate the environmental friendliness of a company's operations," said Peter M. Alex, Chairman of the NAPA Awards Committee. "Earning this award serves as a signal to neighbors that Staker and Parson Companies is a good neighbor who will go the extra mile for excellence."

In reviewing Staker and Parson Companies hot asphalt plants, NAPA determined that the sites look attractive, an important consideration since it can be seen from freeways and main thoroughfares. The organization also stated that the sites include extensive landscaping with trees, grass, shrubs and flowerbeds. The vegetation that has grown around the containment area provides a habitat for many species of wild animals.

Staker & Parson Companies is an active participant in the surrounding communities. It has developed a an outreach program called "Rocks Build Our World," which has evolved into a well-known set of curriculum that includes plant tours, hands-on exercises and customized learning tools. During the 2003-2004 school year, the company presented the program to more than 800 students and 150 educators.

In addition to the "Rocks Build Our World" program, Staker & Parson Companies donates time, money and materials to many charities. The company has also demonstrated its commitment to education by helping establish the Parson Construction Management Technology Program at Weber State University where over 200 students study construction.

"We really enjoy going out and getting in touch with the community, especially elementary-age children," says Clark.

The company is proud of the recognition it has now received. "We strive to do our best in supporting our customers, employees, and surrounding communities but had never really thought about doing it to gain an award--it was just normal business practice," he adds. "It's very exciting for us to be recognized for the things we've been doing all along. It feels like a payoff for years of work and for paying attention to the environment and to our communities."



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