SKOKIE, Ill.-- Portland Cement Association (PCA) recognized Bill Larson as a finalist for the 2013 John P. Gleason Jr., Leadership Award.  

Presented at PCA’s annual fall committee meeting, August 27, 2013, in Chicago, the awards honor employees of member companies who have exhibited industry leadership by taking the Association in new directions.  Awards are presented in each of PCA’s two categories of key strategic initiatives: Business Continuity and Market Development.  Larson was honored in the Business Continuity category.

Larson, vice president of marketing for CalPortland Company in Glendora, Calif., was recognized for being an effective, passionate advocate for the use of portland cement and concrete in all aspects of government.  As a leader in the region, he has influenced state agencies, legislators, and local government officials to adopt policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with rigid pavement.

Through Larson’s work with the California EPA and the California Air Resources Board, the cement industry positioned itself as an environmental leader. He developed relationships with California’s department of transportation, encouraging them to implement MIT’s pavement-vehicle interaction model in real-world conditions; to consider true life-cycle cost analyses as defined by MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub; and to adopt an alternate design/alternate bid policy for paving construction that makes concrete pavement a financially viable solution.

Former chair of PCA’s Communications Committee and current co-chair of the Sustainable Development Committee, Larson has also served on the Regional Promotion and Paving Committees. He also is a member of the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub Industry Advisory Committee.

The award is named after John P. “Jay” Gleason, Jr., who served as PCA president from 1986 until his retirement in 2007.  Gleason was known for his consensus building among both members and allies and for his strong leadership skills.

About PCA
Based in Washington, D.C., with offices in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs.  More information on PCA programs is available at www.cement.org.