CLEVELAND, OH — January 14, 2016 — Pit & Quarry’s 2016 class of Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at a black-tie induction ceremony and dinner at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 20. The event follows the NSSGA Chairman’s Welcome Reception at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The three new inductees, detailed below in alphabetical order, were selected by a group of peers from a pool of nominees submitted by industry experts and you, our readers. This group joins the 17 current members in the Pit & Quarry Hall of Fame. To purchase tickets to the black-tie induction ceremony and dinner, click here. You can nominate a worthy individual for the Pit & Quarry Hall of Fame today at www.pitandquarry.com/hall-of-fame.
Rick Feltes, Feltes Sand & Gravel Co.
Rick Feltes, who grew up in the aggregates industry, was a key 
figure in the development of AGG1, which launched in 2009 alongside the World of Asphalt. Well regarded for his dedication to National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) initiatives, Feltes has served the association in various capacities and as a chairman. Yet, Feltes’ investment in NSSGA continued at a high level in the years following his chairmanship because of a drive to help others in the industry succeed. With AGG1, Feltes made sure the event incorporated a mix of educational seminars, site visits and equipment exhibits to attract a wide audience of people in the aggregates industry. AGG1 has grown significantly since its inception, achieving records in 2015 for attendance, exhibitors, exhibit space and education tickets sold, according to NSSGA. Feltes was also an instrumental figure in his family-owned, Illinois-based operation, Feltes Sand & Gravel, which Lafarge North America acquired in 2007. Previously, he was named a Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award recipient for his dedication to the industry.
Don James, Vulcan Materials Co.
Don James, who joined Vulcan Materials in 1992, led the largest 
aggregates supplier in the U.S. for 18 years, significantly expanding company’s operations throughout the country. James guided Vulcan through periods of strong growth and difficult market downturns, positioning the company in recent years to increase operational efficiency and maintain disciplined growth. Under James’ leadership, first as president and then as CEO, Vulcan’s enterprise value grew from $2 billion to about $10 billion; its permitted reserves base doubled from 7.5 billion tons to more than 15 billion tons, and the aggregates facilities it operates increased from 122 to more than 325. James served as Vulcan president from 1996 to 1997 and as CEO from 1997 to 2014. He began serving on the company’s board of directors in 1996 and was named chairman in 1997. James was named non-executive chairman last January and retired from that position at the end of 2015. Vulcan originally hired James as senior vice president and general counsel.
Steve Zelnak, Martin Marietta Materials Inc.
Steve Zelnak, whose career in the aggregates industry began in 
1974, grew Martin Marietta revenues from $450 million to more than $2.2 billion during his tenure as the company’s CEO. Zelnak joined the Martin Marietta Corp. in 1981 as vice president of planning and business development for its aggregates company. He was quickly promoted, taking on a role as president in 1982. Zelnak was elected an officer of the parent corporation in 1989, and he was promoted to president of the company’s Materials Group in 1991. In 1994, as president and CEO, Zelnak led a transition for Martin Marietta Materials Inc. as a publicly traded corporation on the New York Stock Exchange. He was elected chairman of the company’s board of directors in 1997 and was responsible for more than 70 acquisitions, broadening the company’s geographic footprint. Zelnak also devised and implemented a unique long-haul distribution strategy, making Martin Marietta a leader in rail- and/or water-distributed aggregates products. Zelnak retired as chairman in 2014.
