Meet OAPC incoming chair Dominic Crupi

Meet incoming OAPC chair Dominic Crupi

by John Provenzano

The Ontario Asphalt Paving Council passed the ceremonial gavel to its incoming chair, Dominic Crupi of D. Crupi & Sons, at the AGM in January. His long-time commitment to the asphalt industry and OHMPA/OAPC has prepared him well for the role in the year ahead. Recently, Dominic took some time to share his history and his thoughts about OAPC and the industry.

JUST THE FACTS

OAPC INVOLVEMENT

Marketing Committee | OHMPA Board | ORBA Convention Planning Committee | OAPC Council

EXPERIENCE

D. Crupi & Sons 1995 - Present

FAMILY

Spouse - Allison | Daughter - Violet (2) | Son - Finnegan born February 27, 2022

HOBBIES

Spending time with family; hockey and golf.

Q: YOU ARE PART OF THE THIRD GENERATION OF D. CRUPI & SONS. WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO CONTINUE IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS?

I am very proud of what my grandfather started from literally a sack of hand tools that grew into a business that employed and supported several people. He prided himself on giving his customers quality service that would in turn come back to him in the form of more business through word of mouth when his customers were happy with the service he provided. I am also very proud of the growth that the company has seen under the vision of my father, Cosimo Crupi. It has always been a family-run business and I have known many members of our team who have been like family to us as well. I see value in providing a culture based on tradition and family values. Our employees past and present are accustomed to those values and the Crupi family would like to carry that forward to future generations of employees. I think the Crupi name is well known in the GTA as a company that provides quality and service and I want that to continue on.

Q: WHEN DID YOU START WORKING FOR THE COMPANY?

This is a tricky question. I started going out to jobs with my dad when I was six years old on weekends. Like any kid I was fascinated by the machines and trucks. I think I was six or seven when I first sat in the seat of a one-ton roller and rode it up and down a driveway we had just finished paving.

Q: WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB WITH THE COMPANY? WHAT POSITIONS HAVE YOU HELD? WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE NOW?

The first summer I worked for D. Crupi & Sons, I was 15 years old and not old enough to be out on the road. I spent the season in our maintenance shop when we had our own paint shop. I spent most of that summer in the sandblast booth. It was probably the worst job I ever had. The season after that I spent on a hand crew shoveling asphalt and that was the start of my asphalt education. It was hard work and I did my best to show the guys I worked with that I was there to work just as hard as they were and I wasn’t expecting any special treatment because I was the boss’s kid. From there I spent every summer on a different crew or under a different supervisor, whether I was labouring or running equipment or eventually supervising a contract. I finished my BA at King’s College at Western University in 2001 and immediately came home after my last exam to take on my first solo municipal project as a supervisor. Since then, I have worked in the field as a supervisor and transitioned into the office to experience estimating and management positions, ultimately leading me to my current position as vice president.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST REWARDING MOMENTS OF YOUR CAREER?

The most rewarding moments in my career have been completing major projects and seeing a beautiful finished product that our entire organization can be proud of. I would also point to the purchase and assembly of our Bethridge plant which was my first heavy involvement on the plant side of our business. I was present every day of the process from the digging and completion of the foundation to the first hot mix that was put up in the silos at that plant. It was a huge task and I learned a tremendous amount from that experience. Having the confidence to run that plant myself was something that felt very rewarding to me. I would also have to say that accepting the role of OAPC chair this past AGM will be something I will always remember as well.

Q: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH OAPC?

I started out on the marketing committee a long time ago and met a lot of great people at OHMPA, now OAPC. I was encouraged to join the board at OHMPA by Bruce Armstrong, who put forth my nomination and, as they say, the rest is history.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR OAPC AND THE INDUSTRY IN THE UPCOMING YEAR?

I want to be a part of advancing our Trillium Award program. It is a topic that our council has been discussing, and I think it is an important issue for us to move forward so that our industry shows a united front in presenting our facilities as good neighbours and active participants in the communities we serve. I also want to participate in the work of our municipal liaison committee in our efforts to move towards consistent achievable specifications that assure owners they will be receiving quality products and value for their money.

Q: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY IS CURRENTLY FACING?

I think our biggest challenge is the massive surplus of broken asphalt and concrete in the yards of our producers. They are valuable products if we are allowed to responsibly use them as recyclable materials. We talk about working our way to being an environmentally responsible industry, yet we are not permitted by many (not all) owners to recycle products that would reduce the use of non-renewable aggregate resources and also reduce the use of asphalt cement. So many other benefits including a reduced carbon footprint are undeniable, and when recycling is done responsibly, it still results in an excellent quality product. Our industry’s customers need to realize that eventually, if we do not find a solution to this problem, it will become their problem as no one will have anywhere to put the materials coming off of their projects.