Exclusive Interview:
NACE’s Executive
Director Bob Chalker
Bob Chalker, executive director of NACE, spoke with Coatings World about the
organization’s upcoming CORROSION 2013 Conference and the latest issues related to
corrosion control.
By Coatings World Staff
Coatings World: What is the mission of NACE? Bob Chalker: The mission of NACE International is
to protect people, assets and the
environment from the effects of
corrosion. The organization, a
global nonprofit headquartered
in Texas, was established in
1943 by eleven corrosion engineers from the pipeline industry
as the “National Association
of Corrosion Engineers.” The
founding engineers were originally part of a regional group
formed in the 1930s when the study of cathodic protection
was introduced. Since then, NACE International has become
the global leader in developing corrosion prevention and
control standards, certification and education. The members
of NACE International still include engineers, and also numerous other professionals working in a range of areas related to corrosion control. Today NACE international serves
nearly 30,000 members in 116 countries and has offices in
the U.S., China, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
Chalker
CW: What services does NACE provide to its members?
Chalker: If you have a career in any subject area, you have
to look around and ask “what organization can help me
with my job or with my career?” NACE is that organization,
for anyone in the corrosion control industry. NACE offers several membership options at individual and corporate levels. Individual members receive benefits which build
their skills and credentials in the industry, including free
downloads of valuable NACE standards and thousands of
technical papers, subscriptions to NACE publications, networking opportunities, leadership opportunities on hundreds of committees, discounts on training, conferences and
certification renewals and more. Corporate members receive
similar benefits for employees as well as numerous opportunities for brand exposure throughout the year and customized training programs.
CW: What are the major industries concerned with corrosion control and what are the key issues they face?
Chalker: Major industry sectors impacted by corrosion include infrastructure, utilities, transportation, production
and manufacturing and government. Everything from residential piping to bridges to defense assets are at risk of corroding and there are different ways to prevent and control
corrosion of those assets. Maintenance is a key factor because often it costs less to control corrosion than it costs to
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