That’s a Wrap on CTT Summit 2026!
The technical program, volunteer leadership, student poster session and in-person conversations all reinforced why CTT Summit matters to the coatings community.
Bill DeYoe, Kristin Johansson, Artur Palasz, Sam Morell, Courtney Bassett, and Michael Praw.
Need to Know
- CTT Summit 2026 was Courtney Bassett’s first in the role of PCI Chief Editor.
- PCI’s Editorial Advisory Board and volunteer moderators help shape a technical program built around industry needs, emerging trends and practical formulation challenges.
- Highlights included the new Student Poster Session, the “Organic Growth vs. Open Innovation in Coatings R&D” panel, podcast conversations and strong networking across the coatings community.
This was not my first Coatings Trends & Technologies Summit, but it was my first CTT as Chief Editor of PCI. I have attended the event before, but this year I experienced it with a different level of responsibility for the technical program, the editorial voice around the event and the conversations we help bring forward for the coatings community.
PCI’s staff changes were announced at the event this year. Kristin Johansson, who has helped guide the brand and event for many years, has moved into her role as Global Sales Manager for PCI and Associate Director, Revenue & Sales, Manufacturing Technologies Division. Bill DeYoe, Executive Director Manufacturing Technologies Division at BNP is working to bring PCI into a broader manufacturing structure while preserving the technical focus that makes this publication and event distinct.
One of my biggest responsibilities is helping build a program worthy of the people who travel to attend it. In reviewing abstracts, we ask what will help coatings professionals do their work better. Which topics address the questions they are wrestling with now? Which presentations bring new data, a fresh application or a practical way to think through a formulation challenge? I am grateful to work with PCI’s Editorial Advisory Board in that process. Their experience helps sharpen the program and keeps us focused on technical quality.
I also came away with an even greater appreciation for our moderators, both the familiar faces who return year after year and the new volunteers who joined us. They keep sessions moving, help frame discussion and create room for better questions.
This year also included the addition of a Student Poster Session. Six students shared their research, and judges reviewed each poster using criteria that included industry relevance, originality, technical approach, communication and response to questions. We hope this will become a key part of the event in future years.
The panel discussion took most of my pre-planning time this year. Our topic, “Organic Growth vs. Open Innovation in Coatings R&D,” explored how companies decide what to build internally, when to collaborate and how those choices affect speed, expertise and long-term differentiation. Working with Cynthia Baricos, Angus Findlay, James Swope and Dean Webster was engaging, educational and energizing. For those who could not attend in person, select livestreamed sessions remain available on demand.
I also had the chance to record podcast conversations with Lifetime Achievement Award winner Robert Roop, Ink Invent and IPG Photonics. More than anything, though, the networking receptions confirmed that this industry has incredible technical depth and an unusually collaborative spirit. Hearing references to our magazine, newsletters, podcasts and other channels reminded me that media and publishing are very much alive.
If you were at CTT this year, thank you. The 2026 photo gallery is now live, and CTT returns Sept. 15-17, 2027, at The Westin Lombard, IL. As planning begins, I welcome your ideas, suggestions and trends to watch.
Learn more about CTT Summit.