During the 2025 PCI Annual Meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho, the Powder Coating Institute (PCI) celebrated the 2025 PCI Hall of Fame inductees. The Hall of Fame was initiated in 2001 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Powder Coating Institute and the powder coating industry. Nominated by industry peers, eligible Hall of Fame members must be retired and have a minimum of 15 years in the industry.

This year, three recipients were honored with this prestigious recognition: Kevin Biller with ChemQuest Group; Champ Bowden with AkzoNobel Powder Coatings; and Nick Liberto with Powder Coating Consultants. “We are sincerely grateful to Kevin, Champ, and Nick for their significant contributions to both PCI and the powder coating industry,” said Kevin Coursin, executive director. “Their dedication and impact have been remarkable, and their induction into the PCI Hall of Fame is a well-earned honor.”

Kevin Biller has been a leader in the powder coating industry for nearly five decades, beginning his career in 1978 with the Glidden Paint Company. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as powder coatings gained traction in key markets, Kevin played a vital role in advancing formulation technologies at both Glidden and then at Herberts. Kevin went on to establish The Powder Coating Research Group, providing R&D, testing, and consulting services to the industry. A holder of multiple patents, he was a pioneer in powder coatings for non-metal substrates and UV-curable technologies. Kevin served on PCI’s Board of Directors, Regulatory and Technical Committees, contributed to the fourth edition of the Powder Coating: The Complete Finisher’s Handbook, and led the PCI Scholarship Committee. Kevin also served as technical editor for Powder Coated Tough magazine from 2012 to 2021, authoring numerous articles throughout his tenure.


Champ Bowden first entered the powder coating industry with Glidden Powder Coatings, joining the PCI Technical Committee and the Powder Coating Materials Subcommittee in 1981. Over two decades, including five years as chairman, he played a pivotal role in advancing PCI’s technical initiatives. From 2000 to 2003, he served on the PCI Board of Directors and chaired the Application & Recovery Equipment (ARE) Committee, contributing to multiple editions of PCI’s Powder Coating: The Complete Finisher’s Handbook.

Nick Liberto began his career in the powder coating industry with Interrad, a leading application equipment supplier in the 1970s and early 1980s. In the mid-1980s, he joined the Ransburg-Gema division of Ransburg Corporation, playing a critical role in developing and expanding their powder coating equipment product line following Ransburg’s acquisition of Gema. In the late 1980s, Nick founded Powder Coating Consultants, dedicated to helping manufacturers transition to powder coating technologies. A long-time member of PCI, Nick contributed significantly through service on the Application & Recovery Equipment, Regulatory, and Technical Committees. He was instrumental in the creation of Powder Coating: The Complete Finisher’s Handbook, serving as the handbook’s editor for the first and second editions, and the PCI Cost Comparison Worksheet—both still vital tools in the industry today. Nick continued to contribute to all five editions of the Handbook, exemplifying leadership and dedication to the industry.