CEF (Chemical Educational Foundation): About CEF

CEF Officers

Office/Trustee Name	Occupation/Biography
*President* Rosemary Podwin	Commercial Manager - Ethylene Oxide & Glycols, Shell Chemical Company, Houston, TX Podwin joined Shell in 1985 in Canada working first within their Retail business followed by 17 years within the Chemical business in various commercial and strategic roles. Shell Chemical is a world leader in petrochemicals for 80 years with major manufacturing facilities around the world.
*Vice President* Stephen J. Cornwall	East Coast Sales Director, ICL Performance Products LP, East Greenwich, RI Cornwall joined Monsanto Chemical company in 1992. He has held several sales and marketing management positions within the phosphorus and derivatives business group, continuing with the company through its transition to ICL Performance Products. Cornwall is the current chairman of the NACD's Supplier Advisory Panel, past president of The Chemical Club of New England, and current board member of The Racemics organization.
*Treasurer* Mathew A. Brainerd	Chairman, Brainerd Chemical Company, Tulsa, OK Brainerd has worked in the chemical industry for over 30 years running the family business. Mat has served as an active member in NACD, CEF, the Chemical Distribution Network and Boy Scouts of America, as well as his church and several local organizations. Brainerd has facilities in Dnn, NC; Clinton, OK; as well as their corporate offices and plan located in Tulsa, OK.
*Secretary* Christopher Jahn	President, National Association of Chemical Distributors, Arlington, VA Jahn joined NACD in January 2007. As President, he works closely with the Board members and oversees the execution of their directives. Jahn in involved in strategic planning and guiding the Association towards the goals established by its members.

Trustees

Trustee Name	Occupation/Biography
Lauren Anderson	Customer Service Manager & eBusiness Leader, DuPont Chemicals and Fluoroproducts, Wilmington, DE Anderson has been working for DuPont for over 25 years, assuming her current leadership role in 2004. She began her career as a chemist and has served in such roles as product specialist and consulting engineer.
Edmund (Ted) Burke	President, Callahan Chemical Company, Palmyra, NJ Burke joined Callahan Company in 1976 as a salesperson and has held several positions since that time, including sales management, Branch Manager, and Vice President. In 1994, Burke was elected President of the company. Callahan Chemical Company is a family-owned independent distributor with approximately 75 employees. Founded in 1958, Callahan Chemical Company was a member of NACD’s RDP graduating class of 1997. Number of other chemical-related clubs and organizations.
Arthur W. Dhom Jr.	President, Pride Solvents & Chemical Co., Inc. of Holtsville, NY Dhom and his brother Rob represent the second generation of the family-owned Pride Solvents & Chemical Co., established in 1970. In 1975, at the age of sixteen, Dhom began his career there filling drums and loading trucks. Dhom became President of the company in 1992 after holding positions in customer service, quality control, sales, and management. Pride, a full line distributor, has been an NACD member since 1975 and was the recipient of the RDP Excellence Award in 2007.
Laura Dornbusch	President, Expo Chemical Co., Inc., Houston, TX Dornbusch began her career in chemical distribution in 1982. Since then, she has played a major role in expanding the success of Expo Chemical, founded in 1975. Dornbusch has been active in the chemical industry for years. She has been a member of a number of chemical associations and organizations including NACD and CEF.
William A. Fidler	President & CEO, Brenntag North America, Inc., Reading, PA Fidler joined Brenntag North America in August 1998 as the Executive Vice-President and became President in June of 2006. Fidler started out his career as a Purchasing Agent at Kerr Glass Company and then held several positions at Textile Chemical Co. Fidler previously served as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Chemical Distributors and past Chairperson for Leadership giving of the United Way of Henderson.
Paul J. Galasso	Global Advocacy Director, Intermediates, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Houston, TX Galasso has worked for ExxonMobil for the past 31 years with assignments in Engineering, Supply, Marketing, Sales. He graduated from Northeastern University in 1980 with a Chemical Engineering degree. Galasso is an active trade association member with the American Chemistry Council, Flexible Vinyl Alliance, Viny Insitute, and the National Association of Chemical Distributors. He is also a member of the Northeastern University Engineering Industrial Advisory Board.
Roger T. Harris	President, Producers Chemical Company, Batavia, IL Harris joined Producers Chemical Company in 1981 as a member of their sales team. In 1987 he purchased the company with a partner and became sole owner and President in 2005. Prior to his work in the chemical industry, Harris held positions with the Missouri Department of Revenue and State Auditor. He began his career as an internal auditor at the University of Missouri.
Peter Y. Hess	President, JR Hess Company, Cranston, RI As President of an NACD member company, Hess has been an active volunteer, serving on the Association’s Board of Directors and on various committees for over thirty years. In 2008, he was named NACD’s Distributor of the Year. His company, John R. Hess & Co., Inc, is a family-owned bulk/liquid and factory-packed distributor with 30 employees.
Terry Hill	Senior Vice President & CCO, Univar Inc., Redmond, WA Hill began his career with Univar in 1985 and has held a variety of sales and management positions during his tenure with the company, including Branch Manager at several Southwestern branches, Regional Vice President for the South Central region, and Senior Vice President – Field Operations. Prior to his current appointment, Hill was the President of Univar USA. He is also a member of the American Chemical Society.
Richard (Dick) Peacock	President, PVS-Nolwood Chemicals, Inc., Detroit, MI Peacock joined PVS-Nolwood Chemicals in 1988 after working for PPG Industries for 20 years. He has been actively involved with NACD since 1989 and is involved in a number of chemistry education outreach initiatives throughout Michigan. In addition to his involvement with NACD and CEF, Peacock also serves on the Executive Committee of Omni-Chem, is a member of the Finance Committee of the Detroit Golf Club, and serves as a board member for Youth with a Vision in inner city Detroit.
Paul Russo	Professor of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA After earning his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1981 and serving a two-year postdoctoral appointment at the University of Massachusetts, Russo began his career at LSU. As the Land Grant (and Sea Grant) university of Louisiana, and one of the most diverse institutions in the U.S., LSU is well situated to prepare a wide spectrum of students for careers in all disciplines, including Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. LSU is the home of the Gordon Cain A. Center for the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which provides a number of opportunities for outreach and service.
Bruce Schechinger	President & Owner, BHS Marketing LLC, Salt Lake City, UT Schechinger began his career with Stauffer Chemical in 1979 as a Sales Representative. He continues his career with Texasgulf and the LCI Chemicals in various sales and marketing positions. In 1998, Schechinger purchased REP Chemical and established BHS Marketing LLC (independent), a full line distributor with sales throughout North America and also into international markets.
Andrew Skipp	President & CEO, Hubbard-Hall, Inc., Waterbury, CT Skipp became President & CEO of Hubbard-Hall, Inc. in 1999. The company, established in 1849, is a family-owned bulk liquid distributor with 114 employees. As the President & CEO of an NACD member company, Skipp was elected to the Board of Directors and is currently serving as Vice Chairman.
Lawerence D. Sloan	President & CEO, Society of Chemical Manudacturers and Affiliates, Washington DC Sloan started his career as a chemical engineer at Air Products & Chemicals in Allentown, PA, and later worked for Nalco Chemical Company in Naperville, IL, in marketing, manufacturing and later sales capacities. Sloan entered the nonprofit sector in 2000 as Director Membership for the Consumer Specialty Products Association. In 2001, he joined the Adhesive and Sealant Council as Director Member Services. He was promoted to ASC’s Senior Director in 2004 and served as the organization’s President from 2005 to 2009 before becoming President of SOCMA.
David Vergo	Business Director, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI Vergo is the sales director for the North American Chemicals division in the Midwest United States and Canada. Vergo joined Dow in May 2006 as senior sales manager for Specialty Chemicals. In 2007, Vergo was the implementation team leader for Dow's newly developed Oil & Gas Market Facing Business. He was named basic chemicals sales director in 2008 and took on additional responsibility as director of distribution strategy in October of that year. Vergo began his career in 1991 as an environmental scientist with Environmental Science and Engineering in Peoria, Illinois.
Bart Whitaker	President & CEO, Whitaker Oil Company, Atlanta, GA Whitaker began working at Whitaker Oil Company in 1975 and has held numerous positions within the company, ranging from loading and driving trucks to managing operations and sales territories. Whitaker has been President of Whitaker Oil Company since 1986.
Richard A. White	Marketing & Sales Director, FMC Corporation, Philadelphia, PA White began his career in various sales and marketing roles at the French based chemical company, Arkema and then as a developmental chemist with PPG. Since 1998, White has worked at the Philadelphia based, FMC Corporation, where he currently holds the title of Marketing & Sales Director within the the Industrial Chemicals Group and serves on the corporate board of the FMC Specialty Alkali Corporation.