Bob Chalker, CEO of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), spends a significant amount of time studying the "culture" of the organization.
Bob Chalker, CEO, Association for MaterialsProtection and Performance
"I believe the culture we have at the association is crucial to our overall success," he explained. "I spend a lot of time helping people understand AMPP's culture, reinforcing the good and making corrections when needed. For anyone who thinks working on culture is not important or that their organization doesn't have a culture, I think they're kidding themselves. Every organization or company has a culture, and it is either working for or against you."
In January, NACE International and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings united to form AMPP, creating the world's leading organization focused on the protection of assets and performance of materials. Today, AMPP is active in more than 130 countries and has more than 40,000 members.
"AMPP brought together the world's leading corrosion prevention and protective coatings organizations under one umbrella," Chalker said. "With a vision to create a safer, protected and sustainable world, AMPP focuses on the future of materials protection and performance."
Today, Chalker has approximately 20 years of association management experience, but his story begins in Girard, Ohio, a small steel town in the northeastern part of the state. Whether it was working as a lifeguard, swim coach or scuba instructor, Chalker's first jobs always seemed to involve water.
"My mom was always afraid I would become a beach bum," he said. "These early experiences gave me a foundation and work ethic that have stayed with me my entire career. But the work that put me on my career path was through the University of Cincinnati's co-op program. At the age of 18, I was hired by Packard Electric, and my first assignment was to work as a foreman in a manufacturing plant. I went on from there to work in a variety of different positions as a student, and then full-time after I graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. Later on, I earned an MBA from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan."
Chalker spent 22 years at Packard Electric, but when it became Delphi Automotive Systems, he received a call from a recruiter for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
"SAE was looking for a leader from the automotive industry and the position sounded intriguing," Chalker said. "I met with the SAE CEO and we hit it off. I took the job as director of global sales and marketing, which brought me from the for-profit world to nonprofits. I eventually became director of global development and strategic planning for SAE, which is now referred to as SAE International."
After his time at SAE, Chalker worked as the managing director of ASQ Global where he was responsible for developing a global network of quality professionals and experts focused on educating the world on the principles of quality. In 2010, Chalker was named CEO of NACE International and served in this role until taking his current position with AMPP.
"AMPP is a not-for-profit organization, but that doesn't mean it's not a business," Chalker stated. "We have a real mission to serve. One of the unique things about leading this association is balancing and recognizing we have a dual bottom line. We must ensure strong financial performance so we can deliver on our mission. Our purpose is not revenue driven, but we need revenue to fund and support our efforts to reach our mission-driven goals. This creates a one-of-a- kind challenge with unique complexities."
According to Chalker, no other corrosion or coatings organization in the world offers the breadth of programs and services that AMPP does. AMPP's members expect the best, and they turn to the association for the most up-to-date knowledge and resources to help advance their careers or keep up with industry trends.
"In five to 10 years, I see our organization as larger and broader than it is today," Chalker said. "We will continue to grow and our reach will expand. We also have an important role to play in educating policymakers, regulators and the public about how to protect our world from the negative impacts of corrosion.
"I believe our strong culture and commitment to the organization's mission, each other, and doing things correctly and at the highest level are our competitive advantages. Our employees believe in our culture, the people they work with and the mission. We are making the world a better and safer place, and people value that."
According to Chalker, with the future of industry being technology driven, it's now more important than ever to have people with a quality education and who are truly knowledgeable, certified and qualified.
"We are going to see a generational shift as new people enter the industry," he said. "The need for training, conferences and knowledge transfer will be greater than it's ever been. And we are already seeing how technology has a profound impact on how people work. All of that is going to require more training and networking -- all the things AMPP provides."
AMPP is headquartered in the U.S., with offices in Houston and Pittsburgh. Additional offices are in the U.K., China, Malaysia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, with training centers in Houston and Dubai.
'As a CEO, it's your show'
A key moment in Chalker's career occurred when he was being recruited as CEO of NACE. During this time, Chalker realized he had to figure out what kind of leader he truly wanted to be.
"When you are a CEO, it is your show; you move from a position of supporting the organization to leading and setting the direction," Chalker explained. "My mentor, George Kralovich, who I had the opportunity to work with several times throughout my career, challenged me to consider if this job was what I really wanted. It was a big commitment and a grueling process. It involved over three months of intense interviews and more to help the staff and member leaders really understand who I was, what I would do and what kind of leader I would be. It was unlike any job interview I'd ever been through, and it was a tough process."
Early in Chalker's career, he was able to perform meaningful work, take risks and grow. Whether you're someone who is just beginning your career or an up-and-coming business executive, Chalker offers these words of advice:
- Don't close doors until they need to be closed. "It's easy to quickly say 'no' when things are busy, stress is high or there are a lot of unknowns," Chalker said. "I've learned to be very careful about using the word 'no' or completely closing a door. There are many times where my initial reaction may have been to close the door. But by leaving it open, those things have grown into great opportunities."
- Find a mentor. "I would encourage young professionals to have a mentor and someone in their lives whom they trust," Chalker said. "They could even have multiple mentors for different aspects of their lives. As wonderful as my mentor has been in most aspects of my life, there are probably some areas where someone else may have provided a different perspective."
- Take risks. "Take risks and try things that seem uncomfortable," Chalker said. "Be willing to take an assignment from your boss even if you're not sure you're capable yet, or volunteer for a project everyone else is stepping away from. That's where you learn and build your reputation."
- Pay attention to your personal brand. "Social media is so dangerous," Chalker warned. "I look at all the people who have had their careers disrupted by something they did 10-20 years ago or as teenagers in some cases. Even if someone has changed over the years, whatever is out there is considered fair game and it will impact the perception of who you are today. Truly managing your personal brand is incredibly important."
When it comes to other industry associations or community involvement, Chalker sits on the American Productivity and Quality Council's Board of Directors, the Katy Area Economic Development Council's Board of Governors, and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station's External Advisory Board. He also serves as a trustee for the Katy Community Fellowship Church and vice chair of the board of directors for the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives. He is also a member of the C12 Group, a peer-to-peer organization for CEOs and business owners committed to leading their businesses based on biblical principles.
In his spare time, Chalker enjoys spending time with his wife, Kim, his children and grandchild.
"Kim and I are both very active in our church, serving as called," he said. "Together, we also enjoy scuba diving and cruising around in our 1972 MGB Roadster. We also have an RV to travel around the country and enjoy visiting 'flyover' areas that most people miss."
For more information about AMPP, visit www.ampp.org or call (800) 797-6223.
