The ELG Certificate Program is designed to formally recognize and celebrate participants’ growth and achievement across three core areas: technical education, leadership development, and philanthropic/community engagement.

Through a structured program and practical learning opportunities, the program aims to advance the industry’s most promising emerging leaders and young professionals.

To complete the program and receive the ELG Certificate, each participant will be required to meet (or exceed) several competency benchmarks.

• Industry Technical Education: 30 hours required. This requirement can be met through attendance at ACPA’s Mid-Year Meeting (approximately 10 available hours), ACPA’s Annual Meeting (approximately 15.5 available hours); Tech Tuesday Webinars (1 hour each); other industry events (with prior approval and appropriate documentation).
• Leadership Development: 24 hours required. The ELG will host a variety of leadership and career development programs throughout the year both tied to the ACPA’s Mid-Year and Annual Meetings as well as stand alone opportunities like the Spring Leadership Training. Other career or leadership development opportunities may qualify with prior approval and appropriate documentation.
• Philanthropic/Community Involvement: 5 hours required. The ELG will host community service-oriented events in conjunction with ACPA’s Annual Meeting. Individual community service or philanthropic efforts may qualify with prior approval and appropriate documentation.
• Association Engagement: 10 hours required. Participants must ensure regular engagement with ACPA. This can include attendance at association events like Mid-Year and Annual Meetings, in-person or virtual ELG steering committee meetings, ACPA’s annual legislative Fly-In, or the TRB reception.

Completion of the ELG Certificate Program signifies a participant’s dedication to professional growth and their readiness to make meaningful contributions to ACPA and the concrete pavement industry.

After completing the Certificate, participants are encouraged to extend their participation by serving as a mentor for the new Certificate Program participants. Mentors will be expected to participate in ELG steering committee meetings when requested, serve as resources to the ELG, and assist in recruitment efforts for new ELG members and certification program participants.

Submission and Approval Process

For those requested retroactive approval consideration:

ACPA understands that there may be certain ELG participants who have been instrumental in advancing the ELG program for many years before the certificate program was launched. For those applicants, they should complete the application form – providing details as to how they have fulfilled the requirements. Only information from 2024 and after will be considered for purposes of determining the required hours.

These applications will be reviewed by the ELG steering committee. The committee will then make a recommendation to the ACPA Foundation for which applications to approve. The ACPA Foundation will vote. Once the Foundation Board has voted, any approved applications will be included in the consent agenda for the ACPA Board to review as well.

It is ACPA’s hope that this expedited process for approval will recognize those who have been involved in ELG over the course of many years rather than require them to start tracking hours from launch of the program. Further, it is the hope that this will result in 4-5 certificate recipients to honor at the 2026 Annual Meeting in December 2026.

For those beginning the certificate program upon launch:

Participants will be directed to the ACPA Emerging Leaders Webpage where detailed program information, including competency requirements will be posted. Participants are expected to track their progress noting conferences attended, hours gained, etc. Upon completion of all competencies, applicants will complete the same form – to submit their information and the same approval process will be followed.

For participants wishing to count hours from other industry events/conferences, directions will be included on the webpage indicating they should submit their request to acpa@acpa.org for review. They will be instructed to include the conference name, webpage, number of anticipated hours and an explanation of how that event fulfills one or more competencies.