AMPP Interview Series

Phil Scisciani, coating specialist and owner of  Specialty Coatings & Consulting, Inc. in Pittsburgh, shares his advice, lessons learned, and feedback from the field after four decades in the industrial coatings market. Topics include industry trends and emerging technologies; memorable projects; workforce development challenges; and how associations like AMPP and its members can help.

Ed Kruft, CEO of American Innovations (AI), shares his insight on trends in the compliance solutions market. Topics discussed include feedback from the field and evolving needs by AI’s customers; advances in remote monitoring technologies for cathodic protection; how private companies and industry associations, like AMPP, can work together to accomplish shared goals; and what the future may look l...

Jim Kunkle, Manager of Engineering Specifications for North America at AkzoNobel’s International Protective Coatings, joins our “member profile” series. Topics include how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of our industry; what changes may be temporary, and which appear to be more permanent; key technology trends to watch for over the next decade; and how industry co...

In collaboration with industry stakeholders, the external corrosion prevention team at Enbridge is developing a unification of corrosion monitoring and mitigation strategies, with a goal of minimizing and effectively managing external corrosion risks. Known as IECM, more information is available in the April, June, and August print issues of Materials Performance (MP) Magazine. For a deeper look a...

U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (CA-3) recently introduced H.R. 8033 , the Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act, to the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation requires corrosion planning and the use of qualified and trained professionals on all bridge construction, repair, and maintenance projects throughout the country. As part of our exclusive conversation, Garamendi explains the origins...

Bob Baughman, CEO of HUVRdata , shares how industrial market trends led to the founding of a new company with a purpose-built inspection data management platform. Created in the cloud, the mobile-connected HUVR platform is designed to enable the aggregation, analysis, and automation of visual and quantitative inspection data from any device, sensor, robot, or field technician. Topics include feedb...

Sam Navarro, vice president of business development and marketing at industrial solutions provider IPC Industries, joins our “member profile” series. Topics include industry trends; strategies for the future; what associations like AMPP, NACE, and SSPC have meant to Navarro’s career; and how he’s personally working with students in his local community to try and address a growing craftworker short...

Warren Brand, respected coatings industry consultant and longtime contributor to CoatingsPro Magazine, joins our podcast with information on his latest consulting company, the Alternative Response Method ( ARM ). Using specific tools and practices common to any endeavor in need of strategic thinking, ARM is designed to teach organizations and leaders about how to more intentionally approach their...

Kevin Kipp, co-owner of Hardig Industrial Services, recently joined our podcast to reflect on his award-winning career and share some lessons learned for others in the industry. Topics include the evolution of the coatings field and how having a holistic understanding can help contractors; the role of industry associations, trade publications, and social media in Hardig’s success; advice for the n...

In this episode, longtime AMPP member Stephanie Decker asks questions sent in from members to CEO Bob Chalker. Topics include leadership nominations, volunteer opportunities, Communities of Interest, and much more.

Tom Higginbotham, manager at PPG Industrial Coatings and chair of the AMPP Education Committee, explains the latest Coating Inspector Program (CIP) updates from the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). Topics include new features of the updated courses; feedback from members and others in the industry; how AMPP is addressing concerns related to the legacy NACE International...

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Intech Contracting, LLC performs inspection support and rehabilitation work for highway bridges, as well as structural steel fabrication and erection work, for commercial and industrial clients. For over a decade, a key player in their growth has been Brad Wilder, bridge painting division manager.  In this episode, Wilder shares advice and perspective on his road to s...

Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) member Stephanie Decker sits down with AMPP CEO Bob Chalker for an in-depth conversation about AMPP’s social media presence and its approach to negative comments. Other topics include the role of AMPP customer service, as well as answering member questions regarding the AMPP Ethics course and professional development hours (PDHs).

Based in National City, California, just outside San Diego, Prime Time Coatings is a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) painting contractor whose owner and president, Johnny M. Sanchez, has helped provide coatings for the maritime sector since he was 19 years old. In 2017, he was the inaugural Contractor/Crew MVP winner of CoatingsPro Magazine’s Contractor Awards. With nearly 30 years of valuable in...

Lesley Martinez, manager of conferences at the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), shares her takeaways from the first AMPP Annual Conference + Expo. Topics discussed on this episode include feedback, data, and lessons learned from the 2022 in-person event in San Antonio, Texas; information on the newly released virtual component; and key dates and highlights for the 2023...

In celebration of National Robotics Week, Robert Dahlstrom—founder and CEO of Apellix—joins us to discuss new trends in the aerial robotics market. Topics on the podcast include recent developments in the industry and at Apellix; feedback from users in the field; workforce implications; and what the future looks like for using robotics across various phases of corrosion control and protective coat...

The annual IAAPA Expo is the largest trade show for the attractions industry. Janna Schulze, social media specialist at AMPP, recently attended the show and interviewed corrosion experts including Chris Ball (Vector Corrosion Technologies) and Ryan Tinnea (Tinnea & Associates, LLC) about industry trends and what to watch for.

This “member profile” episode features Bill Corbett, chief operations officer at coatings and corrosion engineering and inspection firm KTA-Tator, Inc., and Pete Ault, incoming president. As part of this new podcast, Corbett and Ault share insights on their time with the company and industry trends; perspectives on the merger of SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings and NACE International; and...

Jay Whitaker, technical services specialist, and Paul Trautmann, project development manager, are two experienced team members at Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine who offer plenty of protective coatings industry connections — and association ones, to boot. In this “member profile” interview, Whitaker and Trautmann share insights on their time with the company and industry trends; perspectives...

In the latest episode of the AMPP Roundtable Series, association member Stephanie Decker asks CEO Bob Chalker for updates on AMPP chapters and sections; headquarters information for legacy NACE/SSPC and the new organization; and how staff is transitioning to AMPP. The episode concludes with a frequently asked question (FAQ) regarding the merger.

District Council 57 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT DC 57) is an organization of more than 2,500 members in Western Pennsylvania. Formed in 1997 as a council made of several local unions, its goal is to represent tradespeople in the region while helping them achieve careers with good wages, benefits, safety, and dignity in the workplace. Andrew Croll, director of or...

In the second episode of the Member Roundtable Series, Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) members Jane Brown and Stephanie Decker continue their conversation AMPP CEO Bob Chalker.  During this episode, Chalker explains the back story of AMPP’s brand, including how the name was formed, what the logo stands for, and the legal process taken to ensure AMPP's brand remains stro...

Davies Hood, president and owner at Induron Protective Coatings, has worked in a leading executive role for the past decade. In this exclusive interview with CoatingsPro Magazine, Hood shares some of his insight on current industry trends and keys to Induron’s success; his perspective on the merger of SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings and NACE International; and some hopes for the future w...

With a high deficit of technological know-how in the traditional oil and gas sector, as well as related fields like corrosion mitigation, digital transformation and investment in workers is necessary to ensure the industry’s future. Travis Parigi, CEO of field management software company LiquidFrameworks , shares his insight on how training, learning management systems, and comprehensive tools and...

Bob Chalker, CEO of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance ( AMPP ), recently joined the special 20th anniversary podcast series at CoatingsPro Magazine. Topics include the magazine’s evolution over the years and its outlook moving forward; changes and trends in the coatings industry over his time with NACE International and AMPP; priorities for the newly merged association and w...