February 2021, Vol. 248, No. 2
Associations in the News
Associations in the News
Associations
TPA
Shay Bluntzer, executive director of Public Affairs for NuStar Energy, has been elected chairman of the Texas Pipeline Association (TPA). In his role at NuStar, one of the largest U.S. independent liquids terminal and pipeline operators, Bluntzer has helped build the company’s profile at the highest levels of government. He is a member of the board of directors for NuStarPAC and the Energy Infrastructure Council, and he serves on the government relations committees of several prominent national, state and local trade associations in the energy sector. TPA is the largest state trade association in the country that solely represents the interests of the intrastate pipeline network.
AAMPP
A new organization, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), was formed by the Jan. 6 merger between Houston-based NACE International, The Corrosion Society, and Pittsburgh-based SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings.
“AMPP brings together the world’s leading corrosion prevention and protective coatings organizations under one umbrella,” said AMPP CEO Bob Chalker, who joined the new organization’s executive leadership in a virtual event to reveal its name, logo and other brand elements. “With a vision to create a safer, protected and sustainable world, the new association will focus on the future of materials protection and performance.”
With more than 40,000 members in 130 countries, AMPP consists of two governance structures — AMPP, a 501(c)(6), and AMPP Global Center, a 501(c)(3). AMPP provides services to members in the areas of certification, accreditation, membership, advocacy and public affairs, and AMPP Global Center focuses on standards, technical and research activities, conferences, events, education, training, publications and preprofessional programming.
“No other organization offers the depth and breadth of materials protection and performance information, standards, education, certification and contractor accreditation programming that AMPP now provides,” said Tim Bieri, chair of the AMPP board of directors and vice president for Materials & Corrosion Engineering, bp America, Houston.
“With one voice, contractors, owners, craftsmen, manufacturers, corrosion experts, consultants and industry stakeholders will do more to protect society across the globe,” added Joyce Wright, AMPP Global Center’s chair and Trade manager for Strategy and Innovation, Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding, Hampton, Virginia.
While the AMPP staff has been working together since October, some program details such as accreditation and certification continue to evolve. For the near future, NACE and SSPC accreditations and certifications will not change. More information is available at www.ampp.org.
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