HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTERESTED IN THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY?
I became a licensed civil engineer at Mississippi State. Then, right out of college, I worked for the Mississippi Department of Transportation testing asphalt. That’s where my love for roadwork and construction began. From there, I went on to work for Chevron and learned another angle of the business – getting materials to refineries. I left Chevron to complete my Master’s in Engineering and spent the next 12-13 years working for DuPont in a variety of roles. You could say I’ve come full circle with the industry.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB?
I wear many hats and, honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I use my operations experience, civil engineering background, facility planning expertise and more to facilitate an innovative environment at Blacklidge. I am honored to be a part of an incredible leadership team that is focused on making a great company, even better.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT AT BLACKLIDGE?
Employee safety is an issue that I take very seriously. In 2019, we accomplished our safety goal of ZERO event-related recorded incidents. Meeting our zero-sum goal was the outcome of prioritizing the well-being of our employees, with well documented and proactive processes in place. I’m so proud that we were all able to work together to do that.

ARE YOU PART OF ANY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS?
I’m the Blacklidge representative for the Asphalt Institute, the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA), and Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP).

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING?
The three reasons I wake up in the morning are my two young daughters and my beautiful wife, Laura. When I’m not home with them, you can find me chairing the deacons at First Baptist Gulfport, coaching little league softball, or supporting the Gulf Coast through various non-profit organizations. I’m also an avid golfer and tennis player, and I enjoy hunting, fishing and just being outdoors.

I am honored to be a part of an incredible leadership team that is focused on making a great company, even better.

MATT RENICK