Leader and Revolutionary

Jared Borelli is widely considered a revolutionary in the asphalt industry, lending his voice and expertise for state level advocacy. 

Graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a bachelor’s degree in geology, Borelli has been employed with Callanan Industries for the past seven years, quickly rising the ranks from quality control supervisor to the pivotal role of asphalt general manager. In this role, he oversees all phases of asphalt production at the company, and because of his leadership and vision, he was an easy choice for the Top 25 under 40. 

Borelli’s industry expertise has been recognized across New York as he serves on several technical committees that collaborate with state agencies to advance sustainability and performance in the asphalt industry. 

“The accomplishment that I am most proud of is being invited to be part of many industry committees. It has been my honor to listen and contribute to all the committees I sit on,” Borelli said. “The wealth of knowledge and experience that surrounds me in each one has been integral to my ongoing success in my various roles along the way.”

He serves on New York Construction Materials Association’s Technical Committee, which has been working with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to review asphalt specifications statewide. He is regularly consulted by transportation officials regarding efforts to improve industry standards and state paving operations. 

“Jared is part of our Technical Committee leadership team. He is one of 8 who work on issues affecting the asphalt production industry. This group is recognized as experts in our association, leading the drive to improve specifications and mix quality along with driving toward sustainability,” said Bruce Barkevich, vice president of the New York Construction Materials Association. “Jared has a way of listening to discussion and offering meaningful input. When he speaks the team listens. And so do our counterparts, the New York State Department of Transportation.”

His patient demeanor and strong communication skills sets him apart from others in the industry, making him an asset to the committees he serves and garner respect from industry leaders often afforded to more veteran career professionals.

“It is difficult to be accepted as a peer. Jared has done this very seamlessly by being purposefully in his discussion points. He also is open to other opinions and is thoughtful in his interactions with others,” Barkevich said. “He also allows his knowledge to speak for itself. Jared, over the last few years has grown in leadership stature and his influence has only grown in the industry in NYS. Not everyone can do this. Jared has done it seamlessly.”

Borelli has led the charge to push NYSDOT to move towards 100% Warm Mix Asphalt, a more environmentally friendly alternative to more traditional Hot Mix Asphalt. 

“Our biggest challenges, and opportunities continue to revolve around the successful use of higher amounts of recycle asphalt and balanced mix design,” he said. “As a producer we want to ensure a high-quality product that is both sustainable and cost effective. To do this we need to continue to advocate for higher limits on recycled specifications while ensuring that the product we supply is equal to or better than what we supply currently.” 

His expertise has been sought on the state level to run trials on the production of Warm Mix Asphalt to ensure its compliance with the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s emission standards, which has released new guidance requiring asphalt plants to reduce their emissions levels. He is working with a warm mix supplier to run tests on producing the asphalt mixture at a variety of temperatures to evaluate their impact on minimizing emissions. This could have industry-wide significance, as it can showcase multiple routes towards state compliance. 

On the state level, Borelli promoted the Balanced Mix Asphalt Design, which utilizes performance testing over time to evaluate how asphalt products withstand, while also taking the use of cost-effective materials into consideration. 

His advice to young professionals in the industry: be resilient and don’t forget to be proud of your successes. 

“Be resilient and adaptive. This industry can be very tough at times. Long hours, tight deadlines, difficult problems, and high leverage decisions are normal,” Borelli said. “However, when you complete a big project successfully and on time it can be exhilarating. There is nothing better than congratulating and thanking your team for a job well done.”