Paint & Coatings Industry magazine has presented the 2025 PCI Lifetime Achievement Award to Patrick O’Neill, global synthesis and pilot manufacturing director at PPG. The award recognizes an individual who, during the course of his or her career, has made outstanding contributions to the coatings industry. Nominations are reviewed by PCI’s publisher and editors, and the winner is announced at the annual Coatings Trends & Technologies Summit in Lombard, IL. O’Neill’s nomination was supported by multiple PPG leaders, including David S. Bem, Ph.D., senior vice president, science and technology, and chief technology officer; Calum Munro, Ph.D., science and technology associate fellow; and Kalsani Venkateshwarlu, Ph.D., scientist.

O’Neill joined PPG in 1991 as a formulation chemist in electrocoat and has since held a wide range of technical, commercial and leadership roles across North America, Europe and Asia. He is a co-inventor of PPG’s lead-free electrocoat technology, which eliminated lead from automotive coatings while maintaining exceptional corrosion protection and “throw power” performance. This innovation set a new global standard for sustainability and safety in automotive manufacturing and was adopted by OEMs worldwide.

In the packaging sector, O’Neill led the development and global deployment of PPG Innovel® and PPG Nutrishield® technologies, BPA non-intent (BPA-NI) coatings that displaced bisphenol A in billions of food and beverage containers. These coatings provided safe, durable alternatives that met evolving regulatory requirements without sacrificing flavor integrity or performance.

His achievements have been recognized with external honors such as the R&D 100 Award, the Automotive News PACE Award, and the U.S. EPA Green Chemistry Challenge Award. Within PPG, he has received multiple President’s Awards for Technical Achievement and in 2024 was inducted into the PPG Collegium, which honors leaders who have made key technological contributions supporting the company’s growth and innovation.

O’Neill’s impact extends beyond technology. As executive sponsor of PPG’s Research and Development Diversity Council, he has supported networking, knowledge transfer and professional development initiatives, while also mentoring young scientists throughout his career. He has been active in PPG’s Color Communities program, which works to beautify and protect neighborhoods around the world.

Join this episode of PCI’s Coat It! podcast to hear from Patrick O’Neill as he reflects on years of innovation and leadership.