David F. Darling Prize

ACA is seeking nominations for the David F. Darling Prize to recognize individuals who, through coatings science, technology, and research, demonstrate innovation in the areas of sustainability and environmental stewardship. The inaugural prize will be presented at ACA’s CoatingsTech Conference, to be held June 26-28, 2023, in Cleveland, Ohio.

ACA is accepting nominations through February 1, 2023.

Nominations will be considered by ACA’s Sustainainability Committee. The David F. Darling Prize recipient will be announced during the CoatingsTech Conference, where the winner will be presented with a plaque and accompanying $5,000 monetary prize.

Nomination Guidelines

Please note the following guidelines for nomination and participation.

• • Individuals may self-nominate.
  • All nominations must be submitted to ACA’s Katherine Berry at kberry@paint.org, by February 1, 2023.
  • The winner will be required to register for the CoatingsTech Conference and will receive complimentary registration for the full conference as well as complimentary accommodations. However, the winner is expected to pay their own travel and per diem expenses.

All nominations must include the following information:

• • Name and contact information for the nominee
  • Current position and brief job history
  • Education and degrees, with dates
  • Letter describing the significance of accomplishments that are deemed to qualify the nominee for the prize

One or more of the following are required:

• • Paper explaining the impact of the program or project in the sustainability arena
  • Journal articles
  • Personal patents
  • Books (authored, edited, or organized)
  • Chapters in books
  • Lectures and presentations
  • Symposia or meetings organized

NOTE: Items cited should focus on coatings sustainability, relating to environmental solutions. Products or product technologies cannot be nominated for this award. Examples of leadership activities and accomplishments that are appropriate for citation in the nomination are as follows:

• • Climate change mitigation or adaptation
  • Environmental stewardship
  • Social sustainability: inclusion, diversity, equity, volunteerism, collaboration
  • Technological innovation to address an environmental or human health concern
  • Education outreach

Key Dates

David’s Legacy

David F. Darling was ACA’s vice president of Health, Safety, and Environmental Affairs, who passed away on Jan. 30, 2022. A staunch and effective advocate for ACA and the industry for 25 years, his expertise and contributions to the coatings industry extended into the Sustainability sphere and the related area of Product Stewardship, where he developed a wide network of professionals with the goal of creating scientifically informed solutions for the coatings industry. In recognition of his exemplary contributions to ACA and the paint and coatings industry, he was ackowledged with the Award of Honor and Meritorious Service at ACA’s Industry Awards Dinner on April 4 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Over his 25 years at ACA, David proudly represented the association and industry across many disciplinary boundaries. In that time, he took on the leadership mantle and served as the premier staff liaison on a vast range of ACA committees, working groups, and coalition efforts on myriad scientific and regulatory matters impacting industry. Chief among these were air quality matters, where David was a leader for industry on regulatory efforts related to VOC content in Architectural Coatings, Industrial Coatings, and Consumer Products. Here, and on emission matters related to Hazardous Air Pollutants, David was an internationally recognized subject matter expert, and he worked tirelessly to negotiate regulations that were less onerous and more palatable for industry. Through these efforts, David became well respected among industry members as well as the federal and state regulators with whom he engaged to press industry positions and data, particularly in California and the state’s numerous local air districts.

His expertise and contributions to the coatings industry extended into the Sustainability sphere and the related area of Product Stewardship. Working with industry members, David addressed pressure early in the 2000s for industry to support post-consumer product waste management. Touting the longstanding industry position that paint is a “consumable” product not intended to become “waste,” David promoted industry-supported research, including product hazard analysis and life-cycle assessments, which affirmed the environmental benefits of the now industry-wide strategy embodied in the environmentally trailblazing PaintCare program. He was also the driving force behind ACA’s first three Sustainability Reports.

David’s presence and contributions to ACA and industry leave an indelible mark.