AMPP Interview Series

This December 2025 roundtable conversation with leaders from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) explores the vital role of certifications in industrial painting, as well as areas in which a trained and certified workforce can boost the coatings industry.

Topics on this sponsored episode include modern project requirements, certifications, and the industry’s future; QP contractor requirements; how contractor accreditation can help ensure quality and protect investments; and the IUPAT’s important role in raising the bar for industry standards.

With an innovation known as “Heat-Flex CUI mitigation coatings,” Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine earned industry recognition as a winner in the 2025 Materials Performance (MP) Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards program. MP is a member magazine of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP).

Neil Wilds, global product director for corrosion under insulation (CUI) and testing at Sherwin-Williams, joins this episode alongside Kristin Leonard, energy marketing director for North America. In a conversation with AMPP Media’s Ben DuBose, Wilds and Leonard explain how the Heat-Flex CUI line came to be; marketplace trends and feedback from the field; and what the future could hold in 2026 and beyond.

On February 3-4, 2026, in Virginia Beach, Va., the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) will host its inaugural Maritime Coatings Contractor Forum.

To share event plans along with insight on industry trends, this roundtable podcast features Jennifer Merck of AMPP; Anthony Manglona of Precise Systems; and Cassandra Frisby of Newport News Shipbuilding.

 

Gregory Muha, Director of Conferences, Exhibits, and Sponsorships, joins our podcast with answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo. 

Held from March 15-19 in Houston, discussion topics include what members can expect at the show; highlights of the 2026 schedule; feedback-based changes from previous years; and how the latest version of the conference is being designed to meet the needs of AMPP members and the broader industry.

Malcolm McNeil, owner and president of McNeil Coatings Consultants, Inc., passed away on August 31, 2025. He was 92 years old. In addition to his numerous jobs and roles over six-plus decades in the industry, McNeil spent many years as a lead instructor of NACE International’s flagship Coating Inspector Program (CIP) and as Technical Editor for CoatingsPro Magazine.

In this episode, longtime CIP Instructor Phil Fouche (who delivered McNeil’s eulogy this fall) joins AMPP staffers Ben DuBose and Stephanie Chizik to reflect on McNeil’s memorable life, including decades of distinguished service to both the association and the industry.

Dennis Karnstein and Brian Carson are top executives at Pittsburgh Paints Co., a leading North American producer of interior and exterior paints, stains, caulks, repair products, adhesives, and sealants.

In this conversation with CoatingsPro Magazine, a member magazine of AMPP, Karnstein and Carson address several marketplace trends as 2025 draws to a close. Other discussion topics include strategies to make coatings more user-friendly for applicators; benefits of the group’s unique service model; new opportunities as a privately owned company; and more.

As part of exclusive “Exhibitor Spotlight” interviews from our flagship AMPP 2025 conference in Nashville, we spoke with leading industry experts regarding new products and services to address today’s challenges. With emphasis on our Materials Performance (MP) audience, this mini-episode features insights from leaders at TESI Group, Lindsay Corp., and Automa.

As part of this sponsored episode, experts from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) explore how new and emerging technologies are transforming the industrial coating marketplace.

Featuring insights from Don McClain, Andrew Croll, and Ken Seal, topics include the impact of new technologies and tools; optimal strategies for training, workforce development, and quality control; future trends to watch for; and the role of organizations such as IUPAT and AMPP in supporting the industry and advocating for its workforce.

In exclusive “Exhibitor Spotlight” interviews from our flagship AMPP 2025 conference in Nashville, we spoke with several industry experts regarding new products and services to address modern needs and challenges. With emphasis on our Materials Performance (MP) audience, this mini-episode features insights from leaders at MOBILTEX and ROCKWOOL.

Ray Fremont Jr., president of General Air Products, joins our ongoing series profiling winners of the 2025 Materials Performance (MP) Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards.

General Air’s winning innovation, Vapor Pipe Shield, is a patented and UL-listed solution for the prevention of corrosion in dry pipe and pre-action fire sprinkler systems. The technology features a delivery system utilizing a vapor-phase corrosion inhibitor, and Fremont explains how it is already making a difference out in the field.