Ernesto and Blake are reunited! Blake has been away preparing podcasts for some nonprofit clients (yep... you do need one too), but he's back to welcome Michael Johnson to the show. President and CEO of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, Johnson is in the association world because it's the best way to help industries cut "through the noise" (ding ding ding!) with policy makers. This informative conversation delves into the decrepit state of infrastructure in the United States and the need for more investment to move the economy forward. If you don't like the idea of driving to work across a crumbling bridge that is scored a "D+" by the American Society of Civil Engineers, don't miss this episode and support infrastructure investment. NSSGA President and CEO Michael W. Johnson serves as the chief advocate for the stone, sand and gravel industry. He is responsible for the strategic development and execution of the association’s advocacy mission in the areas of industry promotion, membership advocacy and advancing public policies that protect and expand the safe, environmentally responsible use of aggregates. In this role, he continues to successfully energize and focus the association’s resources to best serve aggregates industry. NSSGA is the leading voice and advocate for the aggregates industry. Our members – stone, sand and gravel producers and the equipment manufacturers and service providers who support them – are responsible for the essential raw materials found in every home, building, road, bridge and public works project and represent more than 90 percent of the crushed stone and 70 percent of the sand and gravel produced annually in the United States. Production of aggregates in the U.S. in 2015 was more than 2.25 billion metric tons at a value of $21 billion. The aggregates industry employs approximately 100,000 highly-skilled men and women.