Record-Breaking Attendance at the 2026 WofA x Astec Leadership Summit
Third Annual Leadership Summit with Astec Industries was a Success!
In May, Women of Asphalt welcomed 100 women from across the asphalt industry to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the third annual WofA x Astec Leadership Summit—the largest Summit in the program's history and the first to sell out.
Highlights:
- 100+ members in attendance
- 35+ companies represented
- Two days of leadership development, networking, and professional growth
- Behind-the-scenes tour of Astec's headquarters and manufacturing facility
- Panel discussion featuring WofA members and National Partners
- Powerful conversations around leadership, mentorship, and workforce development
While attendees came to Chattanooga from different companies, backgrounds, and career paths, many left with a similar takeaway: success starts with people.
Throughout the Summit, participants explored leadership, communication, workforce trends, and professional development while building relationships with women from across the industry. Conversations centered on the importance of mentorship, supporting one another, and creating opportunities for future generations entering asphalt.
One of the most powerful aspects of the event was the willingness of attendees to share their personal journeys. While every path into the industry looked different, common themes emerged: resilience, determination, growth, and the confidence to pursue new opportunities.
Hosted at Astec's headquarters, the Summit also gave attendees a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the innovation, technology, and people that help power the asphalt industry.
As attendee reflected:
"One of the biggest messages that stayed with me was that success begins with people and teamwork, not just the product itself. It truly takes a village.
The Summit reinforced that relationships are key to success and encouraged all of us to both seek mentors and become mentors to others."
- Karen Leddy, Cargill
Women of Asphalt extends its sincere thanks to Astec Industries for its continued partnership and commitment to developing the next generation of industry leaders.
What’s next:
The need for strong leaders has never been greater.
Through events like the Leadership Summit, Women of Asphalt continues to create opportunities for women to connect, grow, and lead while strengthening the future of the asphalt industry.
Interested in having Women of Asphalt speak at your conference or industry event? We'd love to continue the conversation and explore opportunities to share workforce development insights, industry trends, and the Women of Asphalt mission with your audience.
Interested in partnering with Women of Asphalt to support leadership development, workforce initiatives, or new programming? We'd love to continue the conversation! Please contact Brittyn Heisler.
