11 November
SCI America will honour Christopher D. Pappas with the 2020 SCI Chemical Industry Medal, as a reward for his contribution and service to the chemical industry.
The Society of Chemical Industry, America Section (SCI America), announced today that the 2020 SCI Chemical Industry Medal will be presented to Christopher D. Pappas, recently retired CEO of Trinseo. He will receive the medal at a formal dinner convened in his honor on March 10, 2020 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The SCI Chemical Industry Medal honours an individual whose leadership, commitment, and contributions have been responsible for substantial progress and performance of the chemical industry. In addition to being an active guiding force in the leadership of their organization during periods of expansion, challenging conditions, or new directions, recipients are known for service rendered to the industry as a whole.
‘In serving the chemical industry for more than 40 years in several companies, Chris Pappas embodies leadership and integrity, having built his career around the concepts of respect for people, focus on company culture, and business accountability,’ said Craig Rogerson, Chair of SCI America. ‘During a period where companies have experienced ownership changes through carve-outs, private equity ownership, and IPOs, Chris demonstrated how to confidently steer enterprises through these changes, while also being a visible advocate for our industry.’
Mr Pappas served as President and CEO of Trinseo from June 2010 through March 2019, playing a central role in the company’s formation in 2010 via spin-off from Dow Chemical, through its ownership by private equity with Bain Capital Partners, to an initial public offering and listing on the NYSE in 2014, followed by further expansion through acquisition and market-driven growth.
In 2018 Institutional Investor magazine ranked Pappas as the #1 CEO among mid-cap publicly traded chemical companies for 2018, based on voting from investors and sell-side research analysts. In 2017 Pappas received the Leadership Award for Outstanding Corporate Reinvention from the American Chemical Society’s New York Section for his visionary leadership, focus on safety and technology, financial discipline, and for Trinseo’s growth, in which the company more than tripled in value between 2014 and 2017.
He was named to the list of ‘CEOs Who Get It’ by the National Safety Council (NSC) and Safety+Health Magazine in 2017.
Pappas started his career at The Dow Chemical Company, where he gathered industry experience in a number of sales and managerial positions between 1978 and 1995. In 1995 he joined DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC where he held several leadership positions, initially as Vice President of Ethylene Elastomers and from 1999 onwards as Commercial Vice President. He joined NOVA Chemicals Corporation in 2000. At Nova, he assumed roles with increasingly global responsibilities, as Senior Vice President & President, Styrenics (2000-2006), Chief Operating Officer (2006-2008), President and Chief Operating Officer (2008-2009), and finally as President and CEO of NOVA in 2009.
Mr Pappas is currently a member of the board of directors of Trinseo (NYSE: TSE), FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and Univar, Inc. (NYSE: UNVR), and he is a former member of the board of directors for Methanex Corp., NOVA Chemicals Corporation, and Allegheny Energy, Inc.
He was named to the Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2015, and with his wife Susan is the sponsor of the Susan G. and Christopher D. Pappas Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Mr Pappas holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania.
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About the Chemical Industry Medal
The Chemical Industry Medal has been awarded by SCI America for more than 85 years. Presentation is made annually to a recipient selected by the Executive Committee of the America Section of the SCI. The Chemical Industry Medal is a testimonial to men and women whose leadership, foresight, and contributions to applied chemistry have been, to a considerable degree, responsible for the growth of that industry. The medal has attained distinction by reason of the outstanding achievements and caliber of those who have been honored. Past recipients include Steve Pryor, Sunil Kumar, Andrew N. Liveris, David N. Weidman, J. Brian Ferguson, Michael E. Campbell, and Jeffrey M. Lipton. For a complete list of winners, see SCI CIM winners.
About the Society of Chemical Industry
SCI America was founded in 1894 in New York City. It provides a unique networking forum for chemical industry leaders, industrial scientists, and technologists to exchange new business ideas and best practices. It celebrates achievements in industrial chemistry through three medal awards: The Perkin Medal, the Chemical Industry Medal, and the Gordon E. Moore Medal. The organization works to inspire students to enter technical careers by offering its members an opportunity to participate in an annual scholars program. SCI America also offers its members the opportunity to become part of its growing network by participating in its annual Innovation Day, where young industry leaders come together to celebrate innovation in the chemical industry and to seek solutions for tomorrow’s challenges.
By highlighting extraordinary individuals and their work, SCI America aims to promote public understanding of research and development in modern chemical industries, enhance the interest of students in applied chemistry by providing role models, and emphasize the role of creative research in the global economy. For more information, visit SCI America’s website: www.sci-america.org.
SCI America events are managed by the Science History Institute: sciencehistory.org.
CONTACTS:
SCI America
Resa Thomason,
215-873-8207
rthomason@sciencehistory.org
Trinseo
Donna St.Germain,
610-240-3307
stgermain@trinseo.com
Related Links:
- SCI America Innovation Day 2019
- SCI America rewards innovation in chemistry with major medals
- SCI America
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