Pittsburgh Chemical Day

About

Mission Statement

Our mission is to highlight Pittsburgh as a chemical industry center and to provide a premier, one-day forum for idea sharing and for insight into current key issues affecting the chemical industry. Our focus is to deliver an exceptional value to sales, marketing, purchasing and other industry professionals.

The History of Pittsburgh Chemical Day

How it Began

Founding fathers Harry Pugh (Chemical Sales Association/Monsanto) and Art Morgan (Purchasing Association/PPG Industries) met for lunch in 1967 to discuss the feasibility of a joint group dinner. Upon agreement to move forward, the Chemical Marketing Association and its Chairman Ray Siren were also invited; ultimately Ralph Reed, President Elect of the Sales Association, was selected to chair the initial Pittsburgh Chemical Day affair. The event was held on April 18, 1968, a date which coincided with National Chemical Week. Anticipating a crowd of 80-90, the event’s founders were astounded when 203 people convened at Chatham Center to hear John Gillis, Vice President, Monsanto, speak about "The International Posture of the U.S. Chemical Industry." Sponsored by the aforementioned associations, the full committee for the first Pittsburgh Chemical Day consisted of the following:

H. Carlson Sinclair Koppers
Q. Ebert PPG Industries
P. LaGrotteria Pittsburgh Activated Carbon
A. Morgan PPG Industries
T. Onett Koppers Company
F. Parkin Parkin Chemical
J. Payne Carnegie Mellon University
H. Pugh Monsanto
R. Reed Chemply, Inc.
J. Rogers DuPont
W. Sawyer PPG Industries
R. Siren Mobay
J. Snyder Allegheny Solvents
S. Varga Air Reduction
D. Weimer Koppers Company

How it Grew

Pittsburgh Chemical Day wasn't always a full-day event replete with Workshop, Forum and Dinner. Its early years called for evening cocktails, a dinner, and an address by a well respected member of the Chemicals Industry family. CEO's and Presidents of Fortune 500 companies have graced the Chemical Day dais. Past keynote speakers are so sufficiently impressed that they often endorse participation with future keynote speakers.

2011 - Randy G. Woelfel
Chief Executive Officer
NOVA Chemicals
2010 - Greg Babe
President & Chief Executive Officer
Bayer Corporation and Bayer MaterialScience LLC
2009 - Dr. Kurt Bock
Chief Financial Officer, BASF SE;
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, BASF Corporation
2008 - Stacy Methvin
President and CEO of
Shell Chemical Company LP
2007 - Randy Dearth
President & CEO
Lanxess Corporation
2006 - Madeleine Jacobs
Executive Director & CEO
American Chemical Society
2005 - Charles E. Bunch
President & CEO
PPG Industries
2004 - Gregori Lebedev
President & CEO
American Chemistry Council
2003 - Myron Galuskin
President, Rhodia Inc.
2002 - Jeffrey M. Lipton
CEO, NOVA Chemicals
2001 - Paul W. Chellgren
Chairman & CEO
Ashland Inc.
2000 - William S. Stavropoulos
President & CEO
The Dow Chemical Company
1999 - Harold A. "Hap" Wagner
President & CEO
Air Products and Chemicals
1998 - J. Roger Hirl
President & CEO
Occidental Chemical Corporation
1997 - John A. Krol
President & CEO,
DuPont
1996 - G. Richard Wagoner Jr.
President, General Motors
North American Operations
1995 - Jon M. Huntsman
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
Huntsman Group
1994 - Thomas L. Gossage
Chairman President & CEO,
Hercules Inc.
1993 - Earnest W. Deavenport, Jr.
President
Eastman Chemical Company
1992 - Helge H. Wehmeier
President & CEO,
Miles, Inc.
1991 - James W. Kinnear
President & CEO,
Texaco, Inc
1990 - The Honorable Peter K. Nune
Assistant Secretary (Enforcement)
Department of Treasury
United States of America
1989 - H. Eugene McBrayer
President
Exxon Chemical Company
1988 - Robert D. Kennedy
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
Union Carbide Corporation
1987 - Dr. Konrad Weis
President & CEO
Bayer USA, Inc.
1986 - Vincent A. Sarni
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
PPG Industries, Inc.
1985 - Ray R. Irani
President,
Occidental Petroleum Corporation
1984 - Alexander F. Giacco
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
Hercules Corporation
1983 - Edward L. Hennessy
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
Allied Corporation
1982 - Richard E. Heckert
Vice Chairman & CEO,
DuPont
1981 - J. Peter Grace
President & CEO
W. R. Grace & Co.
1980 - Richard J. Mahoney
President,
Monsanto Company
1979 - Paul F Oreffice
President & CEO,
Dow Chemical Corporation
1978 - Gerhard Dittmar
Director
Bayer AG
1977 - David M. Roderick
President,
U. S. Steel Corporation
1976 - Werner C. Brown
President & CEO,
Hercules Inc.
1975 - J. P. St. Clair
President & Executive VP,
Shell Chemical Co., Shell Oil Co.
1974 - Z. D. Bonner
President & CEO & Executive VP,
Gulf Oil Company
Gulf Oil Corporation
1973 - Charles H. Simpson
President,
Airco Industrial Gases
1972 - Fletcher L. Byrom
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
Koppers Company
1971 - Robinson F. Barker
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
PPG Industries, Inc.
1970 - Carl A. Gerstacker
Chairman of the Board & CEO,
Dow Chemical Corporation
1969 - James G. Baldwin
Executive Vice President,
Hooker Chemical Company
1968 - John L. Gillis
Vice President
Monsanto

Support and enthusiasm for Pittsburgh Chemical Day from its inception continues to be stong. This support comes from local Pittsburgh executives or those chemical industry related personnel who have succeeded the original full committee. Although the Chemical Marketing Association and the Sales Association have both folded, their membership has been absorbed by the Chemical Association of Pittsburgh. It is this group that provides the majority of the personnel who make the event successful. The Joint Chemical Group, comprised of past Pittsburgh Chemical Day chairpeople, provides guidance and counsel for the General Chairperson and his/her committees. Over the past four decades, Pittsburgh Chemical Day has grown to become the largest one-day event in the chemicals industry. With virtually every major chemical company and industry publication in annual attendance, Pittsburgh Chemical Day is perceived as one of the industry's most informative and influential events of the year.

What does the Future Hold?