Washington, D.C., May 5, 2026 — Last night, the American Coatings Association (ACA) presented Brian Okerberg, Senior Research Associate at PPG, with its Industry Achievement Award. Okerberg received this honor during ACA’s Industry Awards Dinner, held prior to the American Coatings Show in Indianapolis.
The Industry Achievement Award recognizes individuals for their specific contributions to an industry project or association effort. Okerberg was honored for his efforts to augment and grow ACA’s flagship magazine, CoatingsTech.
Okerberg serves as Chair of the Publications Subcommittee for ACA’s Science & Technology Committee. In this role, he has generously lent his technical expertise and passion for coatings to the association’s CoatingsTech magazine. Under Okerberg’s direction, CoatingsTech continues to highlight advancements in coatings science R&D and has expanded to shine a light on the real people behind the science.
Okerberg received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from Virginia Tech. After completing a National Research Council Postdoc in the Polymer Division at the National Institute of Standards & Technology, in 2008, he joined PPG at its Coatings Innovation Center.
At PPG, Okerberg led the Physical Chemistry group and currently serves as a formulator in the Substrate Protection Group with additional responsibilities in the Sustainability Team. He has spent the past 18 years developing new pretreatment and electrocoat technologies, developing new measurement techniques, and solving field issues for customers. Okerberg has extensive experience developing relationships with substrate suppliers, collaborating with universities, and securing government funding to support R&D projects. He has co-authored over 10 academic publications and holds seven patents.
In addition to his service to ACA, Okerberg has been instrumental in organizing key industry key industry events, including the Detroit Society for Coatings Technology FOCUS conference for automotive coatings and the SWRI Automotive Corrosion Symposium and the SWRI Automotive Corrosion Symposium. He is also deeply committed to the future of the field, actively mentoring new professionals and supporting STEM initiatives.
The American Coatings Association (ACA) is a voluntary, nonprofit trade association working to advance the needs of the paint and coatings industry and the professionals who work in it, including: manufacturers, raw materials suppliers, distributors, and technical professionals. ACA serves as an advocate and ally for members on legislative, regulatory and judicial issues, and provides forums for the advancement and promotion of the industry and coatings science.
In the photo above, pictured from left to right: ACA President & CEO, Mike Johnson; ACA Chairman, Jeff Powell; Brian Okerberg; ACA Vice Chairman, Chase Bean
Photo Credit: Liz Lynch