March 2010 Vol. 237 No. 3

Business Meetings & Events

NAPCA President's Message--Taking Stock

This mid-point in my term as NAPCA President is an ideal time to take stock of the last 12 months and look forward to the important work that remains to be completed.

In 2009, the NAPCA Strategic Planning Committee commissioned a detailed survey of members to help assess the state of our association and determine future concerns. While the results were positive and revealed a high approval rating, a prominent finding of this study was the need for more relevancy within the organization. The committee resolved to develop programs to meet member recommendations to improve NAPCA’s agenda.

A primary concern was the need for a repository of important technical data that can be easily accessed by members through an online presence. Toward this end, planning is under way to further develop our website, “napca.com,” to add information critical to technical, market and regulation issues. We anticipate that our updated association website will be available for viewing online during the spring convention in April, 2010. We have also worked hard to improve the quality of our technical workshops and enlisted speakers who will better address the state of our industry with timely and pertinent information. Our efforts thus far were validated by the record attendance at the NAPCA Summer Workshop in Houston in August 2009.

Another recommendation was for the addition of new membership among international companies. We will encourage this expansion and sustain our worldwide members in their efforts to positively influence issues abroad that affect our industry as a whole. The NAPCA Board of Trustees also recently appointed a new International Member Chairman, Giovanni Portesan of Socotherm Americas, who is expected to bring valued technical expertise to the table and assist with the goal of making NAPCA more relevant on an international basis.

Members also asked that we affiliate our association with other important energy services organizations to advance issues that affect our common markets. NAPCA will increase its influence by joining forces with associations such as NACE International, INGAA and the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors to identify similar goals, areas of expertise, market direction and concerns regarding standards and regulations. Toward this end, NAPCA has already agreed to co-sponsor the North American Industrial Coating Show with NACE and the Powder Coating Institute. The Coating Show takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 27-29, 2010 and NAPCA will present a workshop on the application of fusion bonded epoxy coating for line pipe.

After many years, NAPCA continues to successfully represent the pipe coating industry and the fine companies that service our membership. I am grateful to all members of NAPCA for your ongoing support of our organization, sponsorship of our convention, and active participation in association functions.

I also want to recognize the outstanding work of the outgoing Board and offer my appreciation for their counsel and generosity of time. These fellow members brought a wide range of practical experiences to the management of our association and demonstrated their resolve to achieve positive change.

Lastly, I want to thank NAPCA’s Managing Director and General Counsel, Merritt B. Chastain, III, for helping to move our association beyond yesterday’s status quo. Merritt recognized that NAPCA had reached an impasse and he has worked hard during his short tenure to bring more relevancy to our organization.