Coatings World - April 2012

Head senior silicones chemist. In this position, Head will be responsible for supporting technical needs related to growth in the company’s Masil specialty silicones product line. The Masil line focuses on high purity grades and functional silicones that provide flow, leveling, wetting, emulsification, lubricity and high thermal stability to applications ranging from coatings, to plastics to personal care.

Technologies include amino-functional, polyglycol-modified, alkyl-methyl pendent, methyl hydrogen and vinyl-termi-nated silicones.

Michael Head

Albemarle promotes John
Steitz to president and chief
operating officer
John Steitz has been elected president and
chief operating officer of Albemarle Corpo-
ration. Steitz will oversee all aspects of the
company’s operations, including global re-
sponsibility for manufacturing, supply
chain, sales and health, safety and environ-
mental. An industry veteran with nearly
thirty years of experience in business man-
agement and administration activities, Steitz
joined Albemarle in July 2000 and has
served in various roles of increasing respon-
sibility during his tenure with the company.
Most recently, he served as executive vice
president and chief operating officer. From
October 2002 to April 2007, he served as
senior vice president, business operations,
and from July 2000 until October 2002, he
was vice president of the company’s fine
chemistry segment. Prior to joining Albe-
marle, Steitz served as vice president and
general manager of pharmaceutical chemi-
cals for Mallinckrodt, Incorporated.

Albemarle names Susan
Kelliher senior vice president,
human resources
Albemarle Corporation has named Susan
Kelliher senior vice president,
human resources. In her new
role, Kelliher will lead all aspects
of Albemarle’s global human re-
sources function. Kelliher will report to
Luke Kissam, Albemarle’s chief executive
officer. With over twenty years of human
resources experience, Kelliher has a back-
ground in all human resources disciplines,
including organizational change and ef-
fectiveness, talent acquisition and devel-
opment of people. Kelliher has extensive
experience in integration of acquisitions
and workforce planning and has led a
number of global organizations in her ca-
reer. She most recently served as vice pres-
ident, human resources—global sales and
enterprise marketing at Hewlett Packard
where she led a team of 30 human re-
sources professionals.