Meet a Woman of Aggregates: Capital Materials’ Ericka Baxter

BY SANDY LENDER

Ericka Baxter began her construction career in 2001, with Conco Companies. That contractor was acquired while she was there by CRH and she had the opportunity to branch out into other CRH companies as well. Baxter is now the operations manager for Capital Materials Quarries, Springfield, Missouri, and she took some time to share with readers her story as a Woman of Aggregates.

AsphaltPro: How have you used your bachelor of science degree in gerontology to your benefit in the aggregates/construction industry? And how would you encourage women who have non-engineering-centric degrees to dive into our industry?

Ericka Baxter: I always used to say that I never used that degree, but the truth is I have always been “sciencey.” That degree led me to my Master of Science and the position I am in now. I was always very inquisitive, and that has benefited me well in this industry. So much of what I do is finding the problem areas and solving them. That follows the same line as a scientific study, where you form a hypothesis, then test it. Women who can manage a classroom of kids, run a household, or thrive in a position that is constantly changing and moving would be very successful in our industry. For years though, we didn’t have many in the industry who looked like them. I believe we are well on the way to changing that!

AsphaltPro: What part of your continued education, specifically your master’s degree in environmental management and sustainability, relates best to the career track you’re on? (And what courses would you recommend to women who want to join a company in a sustainability role?)

Ericka Baxter: My Master in Environmental Management and Sustainability was very beneficial to me believing in myself, and knowing that I had the knowledge to succeed in the male dominated world around me. To me, it made me so much more confident that I knew what I knew. I would encourage any woman who is looking at going back to school to jump in. It really doesn’t matter what it is…business, financial, something in a science field...it’s all about preparing yourself for the next step. I completed my masters during the height of Covid, working full time and trying to school my five children from home because school was virtual. I have never regretted the decision to go back to school. So, stop hesitating, because there is no time that will be perfect.

AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers what your first job with Conco Companies entailed and how those experiences helped you decide what you wanted to focus on for a career?

Ericka Baxter: I started working at Conco as an intern in the IT department. My dad worked for the company, and it was a good job to work with my college schedule. I worked there during college doing all things IT, from setting up and installing computers, pulling wire at the plants, and eventually became a backup for the scale houses at the quarries, when someone needed a vacation.

When I graduated with my degree I stayed until I found something in my career field and never left. I was put under the lady that ran the environmental program just as she was also taking over safety. I spent many years working under her and doing lots of on-the-job learning. Over time I took over the environmental program from her as she reached retirement.

What is important is that every position I had prepared me for the next one. Each gave me more knowledge and a better understanding of everything that it takes to make a quarry run.

AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers what your job as an operations manager for Capital Materials requires of you?

Ericka Baxter: My job as an operations manager means I watch over all the things that happen in a quarry. In our company, multiple quarries. The people, the equipment, the safety, the permits, the customers and the future. While there are so many people that specialize in each of these areas, I am the one that tries to bring them all together.

I would love to tell you what I do every day, but every day is different. Some days it is looking at the sales forecast to determine what plant we need to move around where to make the rock we need. Others, it’s helping solve a staffing issue. Add in days of training, financial meetings, equipment breakdowns, and all the unknowns that go into this business and no day is the same. That’s why I love it!

The thing I truly love the most, though, is working with all the people in this industry. You won’t find another industry that works as hard as we do, and most of the time, when people get into the industry they don’t want to get out. It’s a super tight-knit group no matter where in the world you are.

AsphaltPro: Does your role ever involve bringing legislators/representatives to a plant/quarry site? Could you share with the readers what is intriguing (or stress-inducing) about preparing for a visit like that?

Ericka Baxter: In all of my roles over the years, and for sure in this role, I work extensively with our legislators. On a state level, I am the chair of the Missouri Limestone Producers Association’s environmental committee. We interact with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources all the time and have hosted many tours with them over

Baxter works extensively with legislators and policy makers, representing the positive, sustainable message of the aggregates industry. When the state of Missouri was making changes to the permit that allows industry to discharge both stormwater and process water from sites, the initial proposal would have been detrimental to quarries, concrete plants and asphalt plants alike. By working together to educate and inform, a team of industry professionals succeeded in showing members of the Department of Natural Resources how the proposed language of the permit would devastate businesses. The result was a more reasonable permit that protects natural resources while presenting something fair and manageable to industry. Baxter calls it “a huge win for everyone involved.” the years. I also attend the National Stone Sand and Gravel’s (NSSGA) Legislative and Policy Forum every year in Washington D.C. This is a great opportunity to talk to them and their staff about the importance of our industry.

I actually love getting to have these conversations and visits, because I am so passionate about how important this industry and everything we provide is. We wrongly assume many times that these members of Congress know everything there is to know about what we do, but they oftentimes do not. Sharing our story, speaking up about who we are, is critical for us as an industry. We do so many good things for the communities around us and we have to start letting people know who we are.

AsphaltPro: What’s rewarding and what’s still challenging about the education process you mention above? How could a young lady considering a career in our industry assist with that challenge?

Ericka Baxter: When it comes to a rewarding thing about sharing with people about our industry, my favorite thing is seeing people make the connection between what we do and how important it is for their lives. They use our products every day but very rarely think about where they come from. Also, there really isn’t anything better than taking a school bus of kids into a quarry and listening to them ooh and ahh about how cool it is. Being around it all the time, sometimes you forget that it’s freakin’ awesome.

A still challenging thing in the education process I find is the true lack of knowledge on how many quarries are good neighbors and that they aren’t polluting and tearing apart the world. The construction industry is one of the most heavily regulated communities in the United States. We have to abide by all of our permits, or we will get closed down. But we don’t just want to do the bare minimum. Most quarries I know of go above and beyond.

AsphaltPro: Why did you join the Capital Materials team?

Ericka Baxter: I joined the Capital Materials teams because they asked. No really, they approached me about coming over to run their operations. They felt like I was the right fit for the job, had a strong history in this industry, and anything that I needed to learn, they could teach me. Being wanted, being sought after, is very powerful. I knew I would have an amazing opportunity to grow in this industry I love so much.

AsphaltPro: What about your job with Capital Materials is “most cool” to you?

Ericka Baxter: Oh my goodness…all of it. But if I had to choose a few, the blasts (exploding rock out of the ground) never get old. I could watch them all the time and never get bored. And I truly love getting to see it all through a kid’s eyes. Big trucks, with tires taller than you, are amazing. What we do as an industry is amazing.

AsphaltPro: What do you think is the most important skill you’ve brought to your position as an operations manager? (and how would you encourage other women entering the industry to hone a similar skill to be any kind of aggregates manager they want to become?)

Ericka Baxter: I would say by far one of the most important things I’ve brought is the ability to communicate. I can’t tell you how many times a huge problem could have been avoided with a simple phone call instead of an assumption. I’ve just started a quarterly meeting with all of my plant managers that focuses on what’s been good, what’s been bad, and training on systems we have. Also in these meetings is relationship building. Honestly, this is a super female skill. A lot of times, in a male dominated industry, it’s “do it because I said so.” Being a female, and tending more towards relationships, I have seen the guys open up and discuss problems much more freely around me than their male counterparts. I believe it really adds to the strength of the teams and builds a healthy culture. So many times, as women, we want to fit in, but that isn’t necessarily what is best for the team.

AsphaltPro: What would you say was the most challenging “obstacle” you, as a female in the industry, had to overcome in the past 22 years, and how DID you overcome that obstacle? How do you think other women in the industry can incorporate that skill or habit into their workdays?

Ericka Baxter: I have met and worked with many fantastic men in my time in the industry. However, I’ve also run into some that did not respect or appreciate my knowledge. I’ve had many times where my ideas weren’t good unless they came up with them. No joke, I once went and got certified in industrial ventilation because I had a guy that wouldn’t listen to me about a dust collector that needed fixed. That might be a bit overboard, but I came out of that certification with the knowledge that I knew what

I was talking about. I could hold that conversation. Truthfully, if you have a woman that has worked her way up in the world, she probably is the most knowledgeable and experienced because she has had to work and prove her way anywhere she went. I’m really happy to say I have seen so much positive change in this area over the last few years, but it has for sure been a struggle. My advice is truly believe in yourself. If you feel like someone isn’t valuing your view, speak up and say so. Nothing can be changed if the behavior isn’t challenged in the first place.

AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about teamwork. What is an example of a project you were able to help your company complete successfully?

Ericka Baxter: Nothing in this industry gets done by yourself. It takes many hands to do the work, and all different skill sets. Not only within a company, but across the industry.

This last year my state was making changes to the permit that allows us to discharge both stormwater and process water from our sites. Basically, every quarry, concrete plant, and asphalt plant in the state would have been affected. The changes initially proposed would have been absolutely detrimental to all of us, possibly closing down operations. A team of us from MLPA worked very hard educating the members of the DNR about who we are, our processes, and how the proposed language of the permit would affect us. We worked months, hosted them at our sites, attended meetings at the Capital, and ended up with a permit that is protec- tive of our valuable resources but is also fair to us as an industry. It was a huge win for everyone involved.

AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about perceptions. What do you think is an incorrect perception that we, as an industry, can re-educate young people about to encourage more women to consider a career in the aggregates business? What is something you would tell a young lady to encourage her in this industry?

Ericka Baxter: I don’t think this has anything to do with perception, but in history most women are pointed more towards support roles, such as environmental, safety, or HR. I have only met a few women in my time and travels that actually work in operations, and a good portion of them are in that role because it was a family business. There is nothing wrong with a woman in those positions, but we have so much to offer on a broader scale.

I am seeing a lot of positive change in that over the last few years, having met more younger women in roles as foremen or plant supervisors, but it’s slow. I want these young ladies to know that they belong here, too. They have a place, and this industry is better because they are in it. I was the first female chair of the NSSGA’s Young Leaders group last year and I think that was a huge step for us ladies in the industry. When you can look out and see someone like you, it gives you something to shoot for. I had a few strong women to look up to and hope I can be that for some of these younger ladies coming up.

AsphaltPro: What is the most rewarding aspect for you of being in the aggregates industry?

Ericka Baxter: We build the world. Everything we have is either grown or mined. Our roads, our houses, our schools, we have a hand in making it happen. It all starts with us, and that is so amazing to me.

AsphaltPro: Will you tell us about a person who served as a mentor for you? Is there a piece of advice from this person that you would share with other women in the industry/other operators?

Ericka Baxter: Chris Upp was a coworker and dear friend who I lost this year to cancer. I was privileged to work closely with Chris for the last seven years. We were co-workers for the entire 22 years I was there, but didn’t work directly together until about seven years ago. Chris is the one who started telling me I knew what I was talking about. He encouraged me to attend industry events, both on the state and national level. He pulled me from the corners of the room and gave me the confidence I needed to truly believe in myself. For that, I will forever be grateful.

It’s not so much a piece of advice, but an encouragement. Ladies, find you a male ally in this industry. Someone that respects you for your knowledge and contributions. They have a different view on things, and it is so critical to understand both sides. They exist and are so valuable to help you see what you can become. They can be your biggest cheerleaders.