Built to Last: The People, Innovation, and Legacy Behind Herman Grant Company

From pioneering asphalt recycling equipment to building a multigenerational workforce, Herman Grant Company has spent decades helping shape the asphalt industry. At the heart of that story is Paula Grant Shuford, whose resilience, determination, and people-first leadership have helped shape the company's enduring legacy.

A Family Legacy Rooted in Asphalt

For most young women dreaming of a career in opera, asphalt plants probably aren't part of the picture. For Paula Grant Shuford, they were part of the family.

Growing up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Paula’s childhood looked a little different. Family trips included stopovers at asphalt plants, vacations to industry conferences, and conversations about equipment that were part of everyday life.

"Asphalt plant equipment is in my DNA," Paula said.

Her father, Herman Grant, founded Herman Grant Company in 1968, building on his experience working with Simplicity Systems, a part of Chattanooga's early asphalt plant manufacturing industry. At 14, Paula was spending her summers in the office, filing paperwork, making coffee, and getting a hands-on education in the industry.

But following in her father's footsteps wasn't part of her original plan. After graduating from Rhodes College in Memphis with a degree in vocal performance, Paula had her sights set on moving to New York City and pursuing a career in opera. Then, just one week after graduation, tragedy changed everything.

Paula's fiancé was killed by a drunk driver, leaving her to navigate unimaginable loss and an uncertain future.

During this difficult chapter, her father told her he’d see her Monday at 8am sharp (really 7:45). Paula dove in and soon was traveling throughout the Southeast, visiting asphalt plants and meeting with customers.

She hadn't planned on a career in asphalt, but the industry she'd grown up around was beginning to feel like a place where she belonged. What Paula didn't know was that, in less than two years, she would be called upon not just to work in the family business, but to lead it.

Taking the Lead

A year and a half into her career, Paula faced another devastating loss when her father passed away unexpectedly at age 53. She was only 23 years old.

Paula was determined to carry forward the business her father had built.

The challenges came quickly. Internal conflicts threatened the company, competitors approached the family about purchasing the business, and her father's entire board of directors resigned. In an industry dominated by men, many questioned whether a young woman could successfully lead an asphalt manufacturing company.

But Paula wasn't about to let others decide her future.

"I am very competitive," Paula declared, a modest smile revealing the determination behind her words. "Just throw a challenge out at me and I'm on it."

With the support of her mother, Imorette Grant, loyal employees, and customers who believed in Herman Grant’s product and service, Paula stood her ground.

She navigated difficult decisions, learned through experience, and worked to earn the trust of those around her. She didn't have decades of experience or a roadmap for leading a company at 23, but she had determination, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to keep the business moving forward.

As the company grew, so did Paula's understanding of leadership. Initially, she followed the traditional, strict management style she had learned from her father, but over time, particularly after becoming a mother, her perspective shifted. She discovered that strong leadership wasn't about controlling every decision. It was about trusting employees, listening to their perspectives, and recognizing the importance of their lives beyond the workplace.

What began as a determination to preserve her father's legacy and keep the company running for the employees became a leadership philosophy that was distinctly her own, one built on resilience, empathy, and empowering others.

That philosophy continues to shape Herman Grant Company today, 45 years after Paula stepped unexpectedly into her role.

Innovation That Helped Shape an Industry

Under Paula's leadership, Herman Grant Company has continued to build on the manufacturing expertise that had defined the company since its founding in 1968.

In the early 1980s, as asphalt producers explored ways to reuse existing pavement, Herman Grant Company was an early innovator in equipment designed to process reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP).

Working alongside industry leaders, the company became the first to manufacture "lump breakers," machines designed to break apart reclaimed asphalt for reuse in new mixes. As technology evolved, Herman Grant Company expanded its offerings to include RAP and recycled asphalt shingle (RAS) bins.

That willingness to innovate remains central to the company's business today.

Herman Grant Company specializes in custom-engineered equipment, fabrication, machining, and replacement parts for a wide range of OEM asphalt equipment brands.

From baghouses and drums to specialty components and hard-to-find replacement parts, the company helps producers maintain and modernize their operations. Its extensive inventory even includes components for equipment manufacturers that no longer exist, preserving decades of industry knowledge while meeting today's needs.

Through changing technologies and markets, one priority has remained the same: taking care of customers.

"Without them, there wouldn't be us," Paula asserted.

A Company Built Around Its People

Ask Paula what makes her company special, and the conversation quickly shifts from equipment to employees.

One of the company's proudest accomplishments is something few businesses can claim: Herman Grant Company has never had a layoff.

Through economic downturns and market shifts, the company has continued to adapt, diversifying manufacturing to make sure there is work for their team.

For Paula, those decisions are about more than just the success of the business; they're about families who depend on Herman Grant Company. That commitment has developed a multigenerational workforce, with long-term employees watching their own children join the company.

Paula shared the story of an employee in shipping whose son has joined the engineering team. Another employee started as a fabricator, moved on to operating a burn table, and has worked his way up to leading the engineering department. These aren't just examples of employee retention; they're examples of the opportunities that Paula emphasizes.

Paula believes the key is in recognizing people's strengths, investing in their potential, and helping them grow into roles they may not have imagined for themselves.

"We are all family," Paula shared. "And I feel like customers are family as well."

For an industry focused on attracting and retaining its future workforce, Herman Grant Company offers a meaningful example of what long-term investment in people can look like.

Giving Back to the Industry That Built Her

Paula's commitment to the asphalt industry extends far beyond Herman Grant Company's doors.

Her involvement with the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) began as a young girl attending annual meetings with her father. Years later, she became the first female chair of NAPA's Associate Member Council, a milestone she considers one of her proudest professional accomplishments. Today, she continues serving the industry on the board of NAPA REF, the research and education Foundation (REF) Board.

One initiative holds great significance for Paula: NAPA Cares, a program providing immediate financial assistance to families who have lost loved ones in fatal asphalt industry workplace accidents. Through fundraising auctions and the generosity of industry members, Paula has helped raise funds to support families facing unimaginable loss.

For someone whose own journey has been shaped by unexpected tragedy, helping families through difficult times reflects a deeply personal commitment to giving back to the industry that has been part of her life for generations.

The Next Generation of Herman Grant

Today, the family legacy continues with Paula's daughter, Savannah Shuford Malerbi, who joined the business after college and now oversees marketing and accounting.

Much like Paula once did alongside her father, Savannah is building her own connection to the company while bringing a fresh perspective to its future. The company continues embracing modern technology, from advanced engineering tools to digital scanning equipment that captures precise plant measurements.

For Paula, watching younger employees grow into leadership roles and working alongside Savannah are among the most rewarding parts of this chapter.

A Legacy Built to Last

When asked what advice she would offer the next generation of women entering the asphalt industry, Paula returned to the principles that have guided her throughout her career.

Work hard. Be honest. Trust your instincts. And have faith.

Her faith has remained an important source of strength, particularly through life's most difficult chapters. And the advice she would give her younger self?

"This too shall pass."

It's a simple reflection from a leader whose journey has been anything but ordinary.

Nearly six decades after its founding, Herman Grant Company remains a family-owned business rooted in Chattanooga, built on innovation, strengthened by relationships, and committed to the people who make it all possible beginning with the employees she considers part of her family: “without them,” says Paula, “there’s no us.”

Women of Asphalt is proud to recognize Herman Grant Company as a National Partner and celebrate its contributions to our industry, its workforce, and the generations still to come.

Thank you to Paula Shuford, Lauren Snyder, and the entire Herman Grant Company team for sharing your story and for your continued partnership with Women of Asphalt.