AMPP Interview Series

Jason Weber, Inside Sales and Marketing associate at Air Equipment and Repair, has been around the coatings industry his entire life and has been at his family’s company since 2010. 

In Wednesday's podcast, he shares some of the challenges that those working from home right now might also be experiencing, as well as some tips and tricks that coatings and spray polyurethane foam (SPF) contractors might be able to use in the field. 

Jason previously had CoatingsPro Magazine Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Chizik on his podcast, and it was great to connect with him again here.

Former FBI Special Agent and Cyber Security Task Force member John Iannarelli joins the CoatingsPro Interview Series to discuss what to watch for as the COVID-19 pandemic boosts cyber scams. Just as good personal hygiene can help in our fight against the novel coronavirus, Iannarelli offers tips on on how to utilize sensible ‘cyber hygiene’ to avoid viruses of the computer world.

In this CoatingsPro article, Iannarelli offers a set of specific guidelines applicable to the current crisis and well beyond. John elaborates on that advice in Monday's podcast, and further information is available at his website, fbijohn.com. Tune in!

Greg Martin, vice president of product strategy and development at MSA Safety, discusses respiratory protection in the times of COVID-19. MSA Safety has been involved in the personal protective equipment (PPE) world for 100+ years, and they’ve been actively supporting the health care and industrial industries during this time.

Martin shares the company’s plans for other PPE product lines for 2020, including their fall protection, and gives information from their Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, headquarters and beyond. Tune in!

Pam Nicoletti, Director of Education at NACE International and Melanie Diaz, Senior Manager of Education Business Development, join the podcast to discuss NACE’s new virtual education offerings and the early feedback from students. More information on the programs is available at nace.org/education.

Jerry Lastovica, CEO of gasket and sealing solutions provider Flexitallic, joins the MP Interview Series to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting his company in 2020. 

Topics discussed on the podcast include Flexitallic's launch of new isolation gaskets; the company's recent initiative to provide a barrier system to protect the City of Houston's COVID-19 testing laboratory; and the impact of lower oil prices on the corrosion control industry. Given the downturn in the oil market, Lastovica also speaks to the importance of business diversification in other key industries.

Tats Nakagawa, COO and co-founder of Castagra, has been sharing insights and collaborating in the digital space for some time now. Not only has he been sharing information on his social media platforms but he also hosts his own podcast on the building materials and coatings industry. He shares some of his tips and tricks, opportunities, and considerations with CoatingsPro readers.

Check out our latest podcast and show your #CoatingsProPride:

Dex-O-Tex’s marine division has been involved with the HSNS Mercy and HSNS Comfort since their inceptions as oil tankers in the early ‘80s. These ships are now on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Steve Schroeder, vice president for the Dex-O-Tex division of Crossfield Products Corp., joins CoatingsPro to share about his installation experience on the ships as well as his take on how the pandemic has been affecting the company and industry. 

In keeping with the company’s track record to give back to the community during times of crisis, KEEN Footwear implemented a program during COVID-19 called “Together We Can Help” that sent 100,000 pairs of shoes — about $10,000,000 — to workers on the front lines and families at home. Chris Heffernan, senior vice president and general manager for KEEN Utility and KEEN Outdoor, shared with CoatingsPro his views on how personal protective equipment (PPE) may change and what KEEN is doing to continue supporting the industry.

Water and wastewater coatings manufacturer Epoxytec is repurposing portions of its Florida facility to produce hand sanitizer to meet rising demand amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Michael Caputi and Silvia Caputi, president and vice president at Epoxytec, join our podcast to share how their new initiative is going. They also give us an update on what they're hearing from customers and clients as it pertains to their core business and the timeline of a market recovery.

Davies Hood, president at Induron Protective Coatings, and Mark Ragsdale, maintenance manager at the Great Lakes Water Authority, joined Friday's podcast for a roundtable discussion.

Topics include how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing business and day-to-day life for coatings suppliers, as well as the impact on water and wastewater projects in the field.

Hood and Ragsdale also explore the path forward for the industry and the role of government measures in aiding the recovery — led by an emphasis on small businesses.