The Powder Coating Institute (PCI) has a new executive director and a revamped “long-term show strategy” as part of a “signed event development agreement” with CCAI.

Beginning May 1, Steve Houston will head PCI, following Greg Bocchi’s departure earlier this year. During a PCI webinar and conference call, ITW Gema’s Chris Merritt, PCI board vice president, recognized Bocchi for his “dedication and commitment” as PCI’s first executive director, a position he held since 1984.

Merritt went on to welcome Houston, a longtime industry veteran and past president of PCI. Houston will leave his position as DuPont's global marketing director for industrial coatings.

Filling the PCI board seat vacated by Houston will be Jim Andrews of Pneu-Mech Systems Manufacturing. And assuming the PCI board presidency (through 2008), will be Nordson’s Ken Kreeger, also a past PCI president.

Houston announced a “short list” of activities that “demonstrate PCI’s commitment to promoting the use of powder coating.”

Most notable is the PCI/CCAI agreement for 2009-2013. Under the agreement the two associations will develop “odd-year events with more of a regional focus” to complement the “even-year Coating 2008, 2010 and 2012 shows.”

Houston went on to say that “feasibility work” is underway with Las Vegas and Nashville being considered as possible “odd-year” sites.

Houston also stressed the importance of PCI’s “Hands-On” seminars, the PCI Annual Meeting in June in Marco Island and Coating 2008 in September in Indianapolis.

For more information about PCI, visit www.powdercoating.org.