Honoring the Champions of the Finishing Industry

Industry awards play an important role in recognizing excellence, innovation and dedication across various sectors. These accolades go beyond mere recognition — they help to boost credibility and inspire trust. Winning or even being nominated for an industry award can help set a company apart from its competitors, opening doors to new opportunities and solidifying its place as a leader in the field. Do you have an industry mentor or colleague who deserves recognition? Consider nominating them for Products Finishing’s new Champions of the Industry award.

PF has reported on the finishing industry since 1936. Throughout the magazine’s history, it has celebrated the contributions of innovators and industry leaders championing all aspects of surface finishing from electroplating to painting processes including liquid coatings and powder coating.

In the past, PF has honored the lifetime achievements of finishing industry figures through its Finishing Hall of Fame program. The award was designed as a way to celebrate individuals who had dedicated their careers to forwarding the industry through technology development, industry association participation and advocacy work.

Today, as the program has evolved, PF saw a growing interest within the finishing community in extending the award to include active individuals working in the industry.  On several occasions we’ve been asked about adjusting our 40 Under 40 Emerging Leaders program to recognize the 50 Under 50 or 60 Under 60. While these inquiries were meant as a bit a good-natured fun, they sparked the idea of celebrating the hard working leaders of surface finishing who are carrying the industry forward — taking up the mantle of the Hall of Famers and paving the way for those emerging leaders. Each generation has its role to play and it’s important to give credit where credit is due.

That’s why PF is excited to announce its new recognition program, Products Finishing’s Champions of the Industry. The program recognizes established figures in the surface finishing industry who have not only made significant contributions during the course of their career, but continue to forge the path forward. Individuals selected for the award are those who have made impacts in the form of technology or process developments, or through association work and industry advocacy.

Indviduals recognized by Products Finishing's Champions of the Industry award are nominated by their peers and chosen based on their contributions to forwarding the surface finishing industry through innovations in technology or processes, or through leadership and industry advocacy. 

Nominees eligible for consideration should be responsible for one or more of the following criteria:

• Enhancement of surface finishing efficiency and productivity through process or technology innovations.
• Establishment of widely accepted best practices in surface finishing, including applications, product development, quality, safety or supply chain and logistics.
• Setting new standards in surface finishing in areas such as innovation, technology and industry education.
• Influence and support of the surface finishing industry through research, writing, activism, policies or thought leadership.
• Promotion and advancement of the surface finishing industry through volunteer efforts in local chapters or national committees of related organizations.

If you have a colleague in the industry who deserves recognition as a Champion of the Industry, please consider nominating them for this award.

The program will recognize a limited number of individuals annually. Nominations for this award must be received by November 1 for consideration for the following year.

Visit short.pfonline.com/Champions to nominate someone or for more information.

Inductees into the Products Finishing Champions of the Industry program will be announced in the December issue of Products Finishing magazine and recognized at industry events and celebrated via PF’s various media channels.