Ash Grove's Environmental Manager Wins PCA's 2016 John Gleason Jr. Award

Words: Dan KamysThe Portland Cement Association has named Scott Nielson, corporate environmental manager for Ash Grove Cement Company, the winner of the 2016 John P. Gleason Jr. Leadership Award. [caption id="attachment_13730" align="alignnone" width="419"]Scott Nielson, second from left, Ash Grove Cement corporate environmental manager, was the winner of PCA’s 2016 John P. Gleason Jr. Leadership Award. Others pictured, left to right, John Stull, PCA board chair and president and CEO – United States of LafargeHolcim; Jim Toscas, PCA president and CEO; Colin Gleason, son of John P. Gleason Jr. Scott Nielson, second from left, Ash Grove Cement corporate environmental manager, was the winner of PCA’s 2016 John P. Gleason Jr. Leadership Award. Others pictured, left to right, John Stull, PCA board chair and president and CEO – United States of LafargeHolcim; Jim Toscas, PCA president and CEO; Colin Gleason, son of John P. Gleason Jr.[/caption] The awards honor individuals who have exhibited industry leadership by advancing key association programs and initiatives. Presented at the PCA Fall 2016 Congress meeting in Chicago, awards were presented in three categories: business continuity, market development and young leaders. Nielson was honored in the young leaders category. Nielson is an active PCA volunteer, serving as co-chairman on the PCA Energy and Environment Committee’s Environmental Technology Subcommittee. He has direct responsibility for Ash Grove’s environmental compliance and has taken a leadership role in implementing continuous-emissions monitoring systems. Nielson has presented at several technical conferences, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Industry Applications Society / Portland Cement Association (IEEE-IAS/PCA) Conference in 2014. He chaired the 2016 IEEE conference held in Grapevine, Texas, and is involved in planning the 2017 IEEE West Coast Conference.
I’m Still Riding Beside Him
October 2026

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself riding down the road in an 18-wheeler with my son. He recently got his CDL permit and is scheduled to attend a class, so he needs to get some driving time in. That day he was driving a Kenworth, and I was riding along

Kent Huntley
Chairman’s Message
Read More
Just a Blast from the Past
October 2026

This weekend I had to go through and clean out a cabinet that I used to keep some of the old masonry information that I like to look at from time to time. I had the very first issue of Masonry Construction that was published in 1988. I know, forever ago.

Steve Fechino
Fechino Files
Read More
Stockholm City Hall
October 2026

Stockholm City Hall is known around the world as the setting for the annual Nobel Prize banquet. But behind the ceremonies and the landmark tower is another story: a building constructed with approximately 8 million bricks. The massive red-brick complex

Cass Stern
Marvelous Masonry
Read More
Geared Up for Fall Semester
October 2026

Along with finding potential leaders in the next generation of masonry professionals, getting to work with instructors in CTE programs throughout my region offers a great sense of hope and expectation. Add to that an environment where new technologies an

Outreach Outlook
Read More