The Lone Star State’s Home for Surface Finishing

In 1974, metal finishers from Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area came together as Founders of the Texas Association of Metal Finishers. The group who became TAMF were a very interesting, sometimes colorful and certainly larger-than-life group of innovative business owners. They worked hard in their businesses and worked equally as hard to build their new trade association. The ‘Father of TAMF’, Mr. Bob Schumacher of The Schumacher Companies, Houston, TX became its first President and first National Representative. The TAMF Founders Board was comprised of Glen Gurley, Gleco Plating, Rowlett, TX., Ed Hall of Courter Hall Company, Garland, TX, David McDaniels of Amalgam Plating in Ft. Worth, Jim Mowry of Gull Industries in Houston and Larry Shafer of Arrow Plating in Ft. Worth. Patty Smith handled TAMF’s Administration along with her responsibilities at The Schumacher Company and loved the industry and its members so much that she married TAMF First Vice President Larry Shafer! They remained happily married until Larry’s passing in October of 2021. Together, they ran two successful businesses and raised two wonderful children!

Through the years, TAMF contributed good Texas logic to the National Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF) with Bob Schumacher serving as TAMF’s first National Representative. Larry Shafer and Glen Gurley also served as National Representatives following Bob. For the last many years of NAMF as a stand alone association and thru transition to the National Association of Surface Finishers (NASF), J. Kelly Mowry served as TAMF’s National representative, he was enjoined to the Government Advisory Committee (GAC) (on which he still serves). On the National Board from 2016 until his loss battling cancer in 2018, TAMF was represented Nationally by James Sullivan, the then COO, The Schumacher Companies and today, Dan Dunnigan’s National presence brings his business expertise and great Texas attitude to the NASF Board. Dan is President of A Brite Company and a true asset to TAMF at National.

Today, our membership is comprised of both DFW and Houston area companies with multiple second-generation Directors on our Board. Our meetings are relaxed and offer presentations on technology and regulatory information in addition to important updates on family, deer leases, and life back at the ranch.

“As a second-generation metal finisher whose father was on the TAMF Founder’s Board, I’ve known TAMF all of my adult life. I have lifelong friends who I’ve met through the association and I love attending meetings just to get caught up on current events with them. At meetings, I always learn something that’s of benefit to our operation and I’ve never been to a national event that didn’t result in a positive, significant impact on our business.”

J. Kellly Mowry
TAMF Chapter President 2009 – Present
Gull Industries/Armoloy of Texas

TAMF is now corralled by a wonderful Executive Director out of McKinney, TX, Mrs. Carolyn Vernier. Ms. Carolyn took the reins of TAMF at the beginning of 2018 from 24-year ED, Major Robert ‘Bob’ Baugh. A retired Army Aviator and decorated hero, Bob joined our industry, ran a major finishing operation in Waco, Texas and after retiring from it, joined us and Executive Director where he remained for almost a quarter century. As ED, Bob was preceded by Mr. Albert Hyde, a true character in his own right who worked very hard for and served TAMF well. Now in Ms. Carolyn’s hands, TAMF has a new energy, web presence and guidance from a professional who’s been involved with the industry for many years as part of Vernier Sales, a supplier of precision X-Ray measurement devices to our industry.

By becoming a member of TAMF, you open opportunities for yourself and your business. Even if you choose not to come to meetings or attend National events, your membership funds programs, that serve and protects your industry and business 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Click here for a TAMF Member Application!