Jim Fitterling to receive The Chemists’ Club 2024 Kavaler Award
Jim Fitterling, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Dow
New York, October 31st, 2023 – The Chemists’ Club 2024 Kavaler Award, sponsored by Piper Sandler, will be awarded to Jim Fitterling, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Dow, by vote of his peers in the global chemical industry. This prestigious award honors the exceptional performance of innovators and disruptors of the status quo in the sector.
The 2024 Kavaler Award will be presented to Jim Fitterling at a black-tie dinner ceremony on Monday, April 15, 2024, at the historic Metropolitan Club of New York, in New York City. “I’m honored – and humbled – by this recognition from my peers, so many of whom have personally shaped our industry into the positive, transformative engine of progress it is today,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow Chair and CEO. “True credit for this honor, however, must go to my Dow colleagues around the world who work so hard every day to deliver innovation and growth to our many stakeholders. They’re the ones who inspire me every day.”
To select the winner, the 125-year-old Chemists' Club invited a large and diverse array of chemical industry leaders around the world to vote from a ballot of 14 CEO’s. These nominees were chosen based on a wide range of criteria, including organic growth, innovation, diversity and inclusivity, safety and health, as well as operational excellence, share price performance and M&A activity. There was a special focus on meaningful and visible ESG actions within the industry and more broadly in society. Jim Fitterling was nominated and selected for excelling against this set of criteria.
“He is a wonderful choice – he represents the best in our industry. We are extremely pleased to honor Jim Fitterling as the 2024 Kavaler Award winner,” said Dr. Roland Stefandl, President of The Chemist’ Club.
“Jim has quietly and without fanfare achieved a tremendous amount in the five or so years since he became CEO,” noted Telly Zachariades, Global Chairman of Piper Sandler Chemicals Investment Banking. “In addition to managing the successful separation of Dow from DowDuPont and navigating the company through the pandemic, he streamlined the company through divestitures, cost reductions and disciplined capital allocation, leading to a debt reduction of several billion dollars. At the same time, he invested heavily in organic growth and innovation, while championing the importance of plastics circularity, bio-based feedstocks and the reduction of carbon emissions. He has also been a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, and has led Dow's drive to adapt its global talent. All the above makes him a true role model in our industry and a highly popular choice for this prestigious award.”
Jim Fitterling joins an illustrious group: the most recent Kavaler honorees have been Matthias Zachert, CEO of LANXESS; Lori Ryerkerk, CEO of Celanese; Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco; Bob Patel, CEO of LyondellBasell; Kurt Bock, CEO of BASF; and Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS; and Andrew Liveris, former CEO of Dow Chemical.
For more information on the Kavaler Award and Gala, please contact Dr. Roland Stefandl, President, The Chemists’ Club, RolandStefandl@thechemistsclub.org, +1 (201) 888-0440.
About the Award
The Chemists' Club Kavaler Award, sponsored by Piper Sandler, is a revival of the Kavaler Award presented by Chemical Market Reporter to leading chemical CEOs from 1990-1999. The award was revived in 2013 with the first Kavaler Award of the new era going to Charles Bunch, CEO of PPG.
The Kavaler Award is granted in memory of Arthur Kavaler, who for 46 years served as reporter, editor, and eventually publisher and editor-in-chief of Chemical Market Reporter. As Andrew Liveris of Dow said, "he was a probing reporter and editor with unwavering conviction," who had a major positive impact on chemical industry journalism for many decades. Kavaler passed away at the age of 91 in January 2012.
About The Chemists’ Club
Founded in 1898, The Chemists' Club's is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization whose membership is open to anyone with an interest in the chemical sciences, including: chemists and chemical engineers, chemical industry management, consultants, financial analysts, attorneys, academics and students (dues-free). It provides networking opportunities for members to mix and meet with others in the chemical process sector, such as biotech, chemical, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paper and similar industries. The Club also supports the growth of the chemical industry by working with college students and introducing them to the range of career opportunities available in the chemical industry today. For more information about The Chemists' Club: www.thechemistsclub.org
About Piper Sandler
Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR) is a leading investment bank driven to help clients Realize the Power of Partnership®. Securities brokerage and investment banking services are offered in the U.S. through Piper Sandler & Co., member SIPC and NYSE; in the U.K. through Piper Sandler Ltd., authorized and regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority; and in Hong Kong through Piper Sandler Hong Kong Ltd., authorized and regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission. Alternative asset management and fixed income advisory services are offered through separately registered advisory affiliates. www.pipersandler.com
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,800 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $57 billion in 2022. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.
