WAPA’s History

Formation as WBPA

The founders of the Wisconsin Bituminous Paving Association drafted and ratified the organization’s constitution on December 13, 1948. On December 28 of that year, the WBPA officially incorporated.

The purpose of the organization was twofold: to promote quality of hot mix asphalt pavement and to act as a public relations liaison with all units of government and the private sector.

The original members were:

Walter Bechthold was the first President; J.E. Schultz was the first Secretary/Treasurer.

Organizational Renewal

The organization remained relatively inactive for a decade, but with initiation of the Interstate Highway System under President Eisenhower’s in 1956, Wisconsin’s asphalt industry was poised to take an active role in new highway construction in the state.

WBPA was reorganized and revitalized at Madison’s Park Hotel in 1956, Mike Hayes was selected President; R.L. Miller became Vice President, and L.W. Kahl became Secretary/Treasurer.

At that time, Ed Konkol was appointed the first full-time Executive Director of the WBPA. This marked the beginning of active representation of the asphalt industry in Wisconsin that continues to this day.

Name Change

An amendment was made to the Articles of Incorporation on April 13, 1965, changing the organization’s name to its current form: the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association.

Seven Decades of Leadership

WAPA’s Past Presidents and Executive Directors since the renewal of the association in 1956: