CoatingsPro Interview Series

Introducing New CoatingsPro Sales Rep Marian Welsh

Marian Welsh, Media Sales Specialist with AMPP Publications, joins our podcast to discuss her new role as a sales representative for CoatingsPro Magazine. Topics include Marian’s history in the protective coatings industry and opportunities with the new role; how CoatingsPro and potential advertisers can work together; industry trends and changes in media and publishing; and much more.

Sam Navarro Targets Next Generation of Craftworkers

Sam Navarro, vice president of business development and marketing at industrial solutions provider IPC Industries, joins our ongoing “member profile” series at CoatingsPro Magazine. 

Topics include industry trends and feedback; 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 shortage in skilled trades.

For more information, contact: IPC, (409) 935-8800, www.ipcindustrieslp.com

Meet New CoatingsPro Editor Rebecca Emanuelsen

Rebecca Emanuelsen, Editor at CoatingsPro Magazine, joins Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Chizik and AMPP News Editor Ben DuBose for a roundtable discussion regarding her new role. Topics include the job scope and why Rebecca was the best fit; initial impressions; contact points for the broader industry; and what’s on the horizon for a fully staffed CoatingsPro moving forward.

Father-Son Duo Building Relationships and Beyond at GPI

Danny Pelaez, coatings inspector at construction engineering company Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI), had an early introduction to the world of coatings and corrosion by visiting numerous jobsites as a child. The reason is that his father, Ramon Pelaez, is GPI’s New England coatings and corrosion manager!

Today, they work together at GPI. In this Father’s Day themed podcast, Danny and “Ray” reflect on their unique combination of family and business while sharing some lessons learned from their careers. Both men also explain how industry associations like AMPP have helped their careers thanks to education and networking opportunities.

Warren Brand on the Alternative Response Method (ARM)

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 decisions, all while offering a proven framework for thinking and behaving differently when faced with options.

 

The ARM team is currently partnering with U.S. Air Force Pararescueman Senior Master Sgt. Derek Anderson, who played an important role in the miraculous 2018 rescue of 12 young athletes and their soccer coach at a flooded cave system in Thailand. Numerous films and documentaries have chronicled the historic events. According to Anderson, the framework and methodology of ARM accurately captured and articulated how his team made many of those pressure-packed decisions.

 

As part of the partnership, Anderson will be working with ARM in developing workshops, webinars, and ongoing implementation consulting for individuals and organizations on how to make optimal decisions. More ARM details are available in these presentation slides.

 

For more information, contact: Warren Brand, (312) 535-4848, www.armmethod.com

Women in Coatings: Yvonne Haley Leads by Example

Our latest “member profile” podcast features an extended conversation with Yvonne Haley, president and founder of Commerce, Calif.-based Haley Industrial Coatings & Linings, Inc. 

More than 40 years ago, Haley graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) with degrees in business and dance. She initially worked as a professional dancer, but, within a few short years, Haley went from dancing on floors to creating them! Soon after, she pulled off an even more impressive feat by starting her own business, which, at the time, was quite a rarity for a woman in the world of coatings contracting.

Today, Haley Industrial’s website says it is a “proud, woman-owned small business with ‘large business’ capabilities.” The company specializes in areas such as resinous flooring and wall systems, waterproofing, green concrete, and vapor transmission flooring, with end markets ranging from pharmaceutical clients to chemical plants to battery acid installations. It’s no surprise that the “Battery Queen” nickname has stuck with Haley over the years.

In our podcast interview, Haley shared perspective on her time with the company and in the coatings industry, along with insight on how it has changed over the past four decades. She also offered her views on the recent merger of SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings and NACE International and opportunities for the future with the newly merged organization known as the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). 

CoatingsPro’s longtime readers might also recognize Haley from previous profiles in the May 2005 and July 2011 issues. 

AMPP Issues Updates to Coating Inspector Program

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 and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings programs; and how people can learn more information about the CIP updates and/or get more involved.

Bridging Gaps: Intech’s Brad Wilder Shares Keys to Success

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 success while outlining the role of organizations like AMPP in helping him achieve it.

Cradle to Grave: How Holistic Thinking Helps Contractors

Kevin Kipp, co-owner of Hardig Industrial Services, joins 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 next generation of coatings professionals; and much more.

Key Takeaways at First AMPP Annual Conference + Expo

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 AMPP show in Denver, Colorado.