New President & CEO Announced for the Canadian Coatings Association

Dave Carey takes over as President and CEO at the Canadian Coatings Association on June 2, 2025.  The selection was made after an extensive executive search. He replaces Gary LeRoux who has served the Association’s membership as CEO for 14 years and who has decided to retire. He will continue to assist the Board and CEO with strategic advisory services for several months in transition to the new CEO.

“I am looking forward to joining the Canadian Coatings Association to add value to the ongoing work on many regulatory files impacting member companies producing thousands of formulated products Canadians use and rely on everyday. This is the case at the retail level and critical inputs used in many other industry sectors such as construction, automotive and industrial,” commented Carey.

Dave has a strong background in federal Government advocacy over many years, most recently with the Canadian Canola Growers Association as Vice-President, Government & Industry Relations, where he successfully led a strong team in support of an important $40 billion dollar farming sector.

“After an extensive search the Board of Directors determined that Dave had the exact credentials the Association required to build on its success over the past number of years and to enhance a strong agenda for the benefit of members,” said Darrin Noble, CCA Chair and President and COO of Cloverdale Paint.

Over the past 10 years, the Canadian Coatings Association has worked very hard to address many regulatory issues impacting the industry to ensure it remained both viable, profitable and continued to employ more than 125,000 workers directly and indirectly. Dave Carey has been doing the very same work for a large and complex canola industry, advocating for their continued competitiveness and profitability, rising through the ranks over the past decade. Part of that role included engagement with Government officials on many legislative and regulatory files to ensure outcomes benefited canola farming and, more importantly, those Canadians relying on some of the best products the world has to offer.

“The Association and its members fully acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the outgoing President & CEO, Gary LeRoux, over the course of more than 14 years,” said Darrin Noble. “During that time, the Association greatly enhanced its advocacy work with innovative digital regulatory management, online CoatingsTech training for members and non-members, doubling staff and adding many new members.”