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Jim Sturm and Alvin Crosson, OwnersThe philosophy is particularly important in an industry where customers can sometimes feel disconnected from the contractor once a project begins. Level One Paving takes the opposite approach. It spends time explaining what needs to be done, what the customer can expect, and why a particular solution makes sense.
Chief Administration Officer Blake Sturm says the company has deliberately made people a central part of how it operates. Its three core values are integrity, relationships, and positivity. In practice, those values mean choosing what is right over what is easy, putting people first, and looking for solutions instead of problems. “Asphalt is what we do, but people are who we serve,” says Sturm. “We want to treat others as we would want to be treated.”
Looking Beyond the Surface
Level One Paving works primarily with municipal and private-sector customers, with asphalt paving forming the heart of its business. Concrete and stabilization round out its three main service areas.
Stabilization is especially relevant in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. Local soil conditions can create serious challenges for pavement and property owners. Instead of automatically recommending an overlay, Level One Paving examines what is happening beneath the surface and determines whether cement or lime stabilization may offer a better long-term answer.
The willingness to examine the actual problem also applies to customer expectations. Sturm notes that some customers approach the company after previous experiences in which the communication did not match the finished work. Level One Paving tries to prevent that disconnect by explaining the project before crews arrive.
Customers are not simply told how many tons or loads will be involved. They are walked through what the team expects to do at the property and what the process will look like.
Keeping the Conversation Going
Communication remains part of the job after the estimate is delivered. The company aims to respond to inquiries and follow-ups within 24 to 48 hours. Technology has helped tighten that process. Online requests can immediately alert key team members, while AI tools help the office respond more quickly.
Once work begins, a dedicated team member stays involved in project communication through completion. The same structure applies whether the project is large or small.
The approach appears to be working. Level One Paving estimates that 75 to 80 percent of its business comes from repeat customers. For the company, that number represents more than repeat contracts. It reflects customers returning because they know what kind of experience to expect.
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Asphalt is what we do, but people are who we serve.
The approach appears to be working. Level One Paving estimates that 75 to 80 percent of its business comes from repeat customers. For the company, that number represents more than repeat contracts. It reflects customers returning because they know what kind of experience to expect.
Making Values Practical
The company does not leave its values on a wall. It organizes its relationships around four key alignments: its team, partners and suppliers, municipal customers, and private customers. Those relationships provide a framework for hiring, training, feedback, and day-to-day decisions.
The company also has a structured three-phase interview and onboarding process and a developed safety program. Several of its earliest employees have remained with the business for 15 years, providing experience that newer employees can learn from.
The continuity matters as Level One Paving grows. The company is focused on replicating the practices that have worked while continuing to improve its processes.
Looking Ahead
North Texas continues to grow, and Level One Paving sees opportunities alongside that growth. The company is also paying attention to the increasing role of AI in construction, including its potential applications in equipment and field operations.
Yet technology will not replace the personal interaction that defines its approach. Level One Paving wants to use new tools without losing the human connection that customers value.
Named a Top Asphalt Paving and Pavement Construction Services company for 2026, Level One Paving is moving forward with the same principle that has shaped its work: build the pavement well, but build the relationship just as carefully.
For a company in the paving business, that distinction may be what keeps customers coming back.
