Washington, D.C., May 5, 2026 – The American Coatings Association (ACA) is pleased to announce new leadership appointments to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Chase Bean, president and CEO of Tnemec Company, Inc., will serve as ACA chairman; and Frank C. Sullivan, chairman and CEO of RPM International Inc., will serve as ACA vice chairman.
In their roles, Bean and Sullivan will provide strategic direction on association finances, and organizational and policy initiatives. Both Bean and Sullivan will serve 2-year terms, ending in Spring 2028.
“We are honored and grateful to Chase and Frank for their continued stewardship and guidance of our association,” said Michael W. Johnson, ACA president and CEO. “Their enduring leadership and vision for ACA’s advocacy mission will ensure the growth and welfare of a strong and dynamic U.S. paint and coatings industry.”
Bean’s extensive career in the coatings industry began in the Technical Services laboratory and on job sites supporting Tnemec customers. This early experience served as a strong foundation of product and application knowledge for his later roles in sales, business development and his time as executive vice president, where he managed the sales, marketing, research and development and technical services departments for eight years.
Bean attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., where he graduated with a BA in English. He earned an MBA from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. He has served on the boards of the Crittenton Children’s Center, the Sewanee Executive Alumni, and the North Kansas City Police Foundation.
Sullivan began his career with RPM in 1987 as regional sales manager for its joint venture AGR Company, before being elected to director of corporate development in 1989; vice president in 1991; and chief financial officer in 1993. He became executive vice president in 1995; president in 1999; and chief operating officer in 2001, before leading the company as president and chief executive officer in 2002. Sullivan was later elected chairman of the board in 2008. Prior to joining RPM, he held various commercial lending and corporate finance positions at Harris Bank and First Union National Bank from 1983 to1987.
Sullivan holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina as a Morehead Scholar. He serves on the boards of the Timken Company, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the Army War College Foundation, the Ohio Business Roundtable, the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, and the Medina County Bluecoats Chapter.
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.