The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) is launching a new nonprofit organization focused on workforce development. The organization will be dedicated to addressing the unique needs of workers in the materials protection and performance industries.

In addition to the new nonprofit, AMPP is also making changes to its governance system. The organization is transitioning to a one-board governance system, which will allow for a greater focus on emerging and global opportunities. This includes the integration of the former AMPP Global Center into the main AMPP Board.

The new AMPP Board will be led by Juan Caballero, who will serve as the first Chair. Caballero is the Owner and Managing Director of NAINSO, based in Panama City, Panama. The Board Vice Chair will be Kimberly-Joy Harris, who is the Manager of Corrosion Prevention at HF Sinclair Midstream in Chicago, Illinois. Kristin Leonard, the North America Energy Marketing Director at The Sherwin-Williams Co., will serve as the Immediate Past Chair.

The reconstituted AMPP Global Center will now focus on workforce development. Kelsey May, the CEO of ONEMESA, will serve as the first board chair of the new Global Center. The organization is in the process of forming a full philanthropic board, which is expected to be seated by the end of 2025.

AMPP is also looking to address the new and evolving needs of the materials protection and performance industries. This includes a focus on digital transformation and the integration of new technologies.

“In this digital age, AMPP must be more agile, more data-driven, and more impactful for asset owners and the whole of the materials ecosystem,” said AMPP’s new Board Chair Juan Caballero. “Many companies will need AMPP’s support in navigating the new worlds of AI applications, GPTs, IoT, additive manufacturing and more. AMPP must advance quickly while continuing to deliver and expand its traditional value related to networking, training and solutions to corrosion.”

AMPP is a global organization that provides training, certification and standards for the materials protection and performance industries. The organization was formed in 2021 through the merger of NACE International and the Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC).