For more than a decade, Jessie Boone has been on a mission to change how the industry thinks about rebuilding roads. Whether she's speaking to contractors, transportation agencies or engineers, her message is consistent: there are better, more sustainable ways to rehabilitate pavements, and the industry can't afford to ignore them.
As Market Development Manager for Recycling Products at Wirtgen Group, Boone travels throughout the United States and Canada promoting cold recycling technologies and helping road owners understand their long-term benefits. Her enthusiasm for the technology is contagious, but her journey into the asphalt industry was anything but conventional.
For Boone, the road to becoming one of the asphalt industry's most passionate advocates for cold recycling was anything but planned.
"I was actually going to school to be a dentist," Boone said.
After deciding dentistry was not the right fit, a friend encouraged her to look into the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program at Middle Tennessee State University. Boone quickly discovered a field that combined science, engineering and business in a way that resonated with her.
"It was a really good foundation to build a career on," she said.
After graduating during the economic downturn of 2008, Boone worked in quality control, sales and the cement industry before finding her true calling in pavement rehabilitation.
"One thing led to another, and somehow I fell into recycling asphalt pavements back in 2015," she said. "I really fell in love with the whole technology."
That passion has only grown over the last decade.
Today, Boone spends roughly half the year on the road promoting cold recycling technologies, including Full Depth Reclamation (FDR), Cold In-Place Recycling and Cold Central Plant Recycling. Her work ranges from presentations and workshops to jobsite demonstrations and open houses.
"Every day is different," she said. "My job is like a snowflake. Not one day is the same."
Learning Through Challenges
Boone credits much of her professional growth to the challenges she faced early in her career. Graduating during the recession meant competing for limited opportunities. Working in technical, male-dominated environments often required proving herself repeatedly.
"There were times where I was belittled and talked down to, and downright disrespected," Boone said. "But I would think to myself, this too shall pass."
Those experiences helped develop the resilience she now shares with younger women entering the industry. Boone encourages them to stand up for themselves, recognize their value and refuse to accept inappropriate treatment.
"It is so easy as a female in this industry to dismiss some of the behavior that you encounter," she said. "Sometimes you've got to put your foot down and say enough is enough."
At the same time, she believes the industry offers tremendous opportunities for women willing to step outside traditional career expectations.
"Don't dismiss construction just because you think that's a man's job," Boone said. "I'm here to tell you, you can do it."
A Passion for Recycling
Ask Boone what excites her most about pavement recycling, and the answer comes quickly.
"The equipment is badass," she said with a laugh.
She vividly remembers her first encounter with a piece of equipment during a project in 2015. Seeing the machine in action sparked an immediate fascination.
"I'll never forget pulling up on that jobsite and seeing that Wirtgen reclaimer," Boone said. "I'd never seen one before in my life, and I was taken aback by just the scale of it."
The appeal goes beyond the machines themselves. Boone emphasizes that cold recycling offers a practical solution to many of the industry's infrastructure and sustainability challenges.
"They need to be in every DOT toolbox in some shape or fashion."
Overcoming Barriers
According to Boone, the greatest obstacle facing wider adoption of cold recycling is not technology — it's education. Most civil engineering programs still devote little attention to recycling technologies, leaving graduates unfamiliar with the applications. Boone also sees hesitation among transportation agencies that may be reluctant with new approaches, even those with long-term benefits.
"What cold recycling does is address the cause of the symptoms, not just the symptoms," Boone said.
Through Wirtgen’s partnership with organizations like the Asphalt Recycling and Reclaiming Association (ARRA) and The Southeast Cement Promotion Association, Boone continues pushing for greater awareness of these technologies across North America.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Boone is committed to helping young women discover careers in construction materials and engineering. She has helped organize outreach events through MTSU's CIM program, introducing middle school and high school students to everything from concrete placement to welding.
The goal is simple: expose students to career paths they may never have considered.
"There are more girls just like me, they’ve just not been challenged to explore other careers," Boone said.
She has seen encouraging growth in the number of women entering the CIM program and hopes that trend continues.
Changing the Conversation
As Boone considers the future of the industry, she remains optimistic.
She believes younger generations are increasingly aware of the importance of resource conservation and sustainable construction practices. She hopes that awareness will help drive innovation and broader acceptance of technologies that make better use of existing materials.
"We've got to start doing better than previous generations," Boone said. "Sustainable constriction is a great place to start."
That future starts with education, advocacy and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
For more information and further education about the cold recycling process and benefits, visit ColdRecyclingInfo.com.
