Pete Grass

Pete Grass was chosen to lead the Asphalt Institute as its President in 2001. He served as AI’s longest-tenured chief staff executive, recognizing 23 years of dedicated service to the Asphalt Institute, its members, and the asphalt industry.

Pete graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Later, he earned his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before joining the Asphalt Institute, Pete worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers for over 21 years, rising to the rank of Colonel.

During his time as leader of the Asphalt Institute, he had many notable accomplishments and events, including:

The Roofing Technical Advisory Committee was officially formed in 2001 as one of AI’s 11 standing committees.

The Health, Safety, and Environment (HS&E) Committee developed an important training package on “Safe Handling of Hot Asphalt” in 2003, followed by an equally important training video, “Cooling Asphalt Burns,” in 2014.

The National Binder Technician Certification (NBTC) program was developed, with its first review class held in 2008, resulting in the award of more than 500 certifications and recertifications to asphalt binder technicians in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The EPIC Program was launched in 2010 to develop AI members and future leaders for further industry leadership. EPIC is an acronym for the way in which adults learn – experiential, participatory, image-driven, and connective. Since its inception, seven classes have graduated with a total of almost 100 future leaders.

The Global Trade Association Alliance was forged with Eurobitume in 2010.

In 2010, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced that Monograph 103, scheduled for 2011, would focus on a review of the carcinogenicity potential of bitumen and bitumen fume. AI sponsored an Observer Academy to prepare for the Monograph Review, which was conducted in Lyon, France, in October 2011.

The Asphalt Institute Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit public foundation, was established in 2014 with the mission to conduct strategic research and educational activities designed to advance and improve the liquid asphalt industry.

Under Pete’s leadership, membership in the Asphalt Institute expanded more than 30%, with 131 members representing over 90% of North American asphalt production annually.