A Fond Farewell and a Forward Look for PCI
Tom Fowler receives recognition from the Adhesives and Sealant Council, October 2025.
Leadership transitions mark meaningful milestones for any publication, and this month brings an important moment for PCI and BNP Media. After nearly a decade of guiding Paint & Coatings Industry (PCI) and Adhesives & Sealants Industry (ASI), Tom Fowler is retiring from his role as Group Publisher. His steady leadership and deep respect for both industries have helped PCI and ASI navigate rapid change; from digital transformation and new manufacturing technologies to global disruptions and consolidation across the coatings and adhesives markets. We thank Tom for his dedicated service and wish him the very best in his next chapter.
With Tom’s retirement, BNP Media is implementing a refreshed leadership structure to support stronger collaboration across its industrial brands. Bill DeYoe, a longtime BNP publisher with deep experience across industrial markets, now serves as Group Publisher of BNP’s Manufacturing Division, which brings together Adhesives & Sealants Industry (ASI), ASSEMBLY, Industry Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN), Paint & Coatings Industry (PCI) and Quality. This alignment is intended to deepen collaboration across these brands while continuing to support the specialized needs of each manufacturing sector.
As Bill steps into this role, he emphasized the importance of elevating PCI’s presence within the broader manufacturing conversation:
“I’m especially excited to bring PCI’s coatings voice more fully into the broader manufacturing conversation. Coatings are a critical part of how products are protected, finished and perform in the field, and PCI has long been a trusted source on that front. This structure builds on what PCI already does well; creating new opportunities to showcase that expertise for our partners and the industry communities we serve. I look forward to hearing from many of you along the way with historic reference, new developments and perhaps, most importantly, what’s next!”
— Bill DeYoe, Group Publisher, Manufacturing Division
The reorganization also brings expanded leadership across the editorial and commercial sides of PCI. John Sprovieri, Editor in Chief of ASSEMBLY, now serves as Editorial Director for the Manufacturing Division, helping unify editorial strategy and deepen cross-brand collaboration. Kristin Johansson will now serve as Associate Publisher and Global Sales Manager for PCI, overseeing advertising and sales efforts and strengthening our global partnerships. Jade Bell, who has supported PCI and ASI as a Multimedia Specialist, joins the coatings and adhesives teams full-time as an editor dedicated solely to these brands.
I am honored to step into the role of Chief Editor, continuing PCI’s mission to deliver high-quality technical content, industry reporting and research-driven insight for the global coatings community.
These leadership updates come at a time of exciting growth for PCI. Our addition as the sixth media partner for The Manufacturing & Automation eXchange (MAX) expands our ability to connect coatings and surface technologies with the broader ecosystem of automation, robotics, packaging, adhesives and advanced manufacturing. At MAX 2026, taking place March 25–26 at the Music City Center in Nashville, PCI will help spotlight the essential role coatings and finishing play in product performance, durability, sustainability and modern production workflows.
Most importantly, PCI’s mission remains unchanged. We remain committed to delivering the trusted formulation guidance, research, technical insight and industry analysis that support chemists, formulators, engineers and manufacturing professionals across the entire paint and coatings value chain.
To reflect on his time with PCI and ASI, we close with Tom’s own words:
“Working with the PCI and ASI teams has been the highlight of my publishing career. The coatings and adhesives industries are full of passionate, innovative people, and it has been a privilege to support them. I’m grateful for the relationships built over the years and excited to watch these brands continue to grow.”
— Tom Fowler, Outgoing Group Publisher, PCI & ASI
