The Nova Paint Club, an international organization of 14 independent coatings companies, has elected Ivan Hurtado, general manager of Inversiones Mundial, president of the club. He succeeds Rainer Votteler, executive director of the Germany-based coatings company Votteler Lackfabrik, who held the presidency for the last three years. Inversiones Mundial has operations in Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

Hurtado, who was elected president during the Nova club's recent board of directors meeting in the UK, has spearheaded a number of major new initiatives involving cooperative programs of Nova club members, the organization said.

The Nova club was founded in 1983 with the objective of providing a framework for the exchange of technical information, technology and expertise in all areas of operation.

More information on the club and its member companies is available at the website located at www.novapaint.org.