Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (Chevron Phillips Chemical) announced today that Peter Cella, president and chief executive officer (CEO), intends to retire from the company, effective August 1, 2017. Additionally, the company announced that Mark Lashier, currently executive vice president, Commercial, will succeed Mr. Cella as president and CEO upon Mr. Cella’s retirement.
“Pete Cella’s strategic vision, his commitment to leadership development, and his relentless pursuit of operating the company’s global facilities safely and profitably will remain hallmarks of his distinguished career at Chevron Phillips Chemical,” said Timothy G. Taylor, president, Phillips 66 and member of the Chevron Phillips Chemical Board of Directors. “In addition, Pete was a guiding influence in advancing the company’s transformational $6 billion U.S. Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project (USGC PP). On behalf of the Board of Directors and the company, we thank Pete for his contributions to reinforce Chevron Phillips Chemical’s footing as a world-leader in the industry.”
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve as the president and CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical for more than six years,” said Cella. “I’m incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, particularly the success in building our world-scale petrochemicals project, elevating our already industry-leading operational excellence performance, and advancing our organizational capabilities agenda. I look forward to the many achievements this company and our employees will make under Mark Lashier’s leadership.”
Mr. Lashier has nearly 30 years of experience in the chemicals industry, beginning his career as an engineer with the Phillips Petroleum Company, now Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX), at its Bartlesville, Oklahoma, facility. By 1997 he had assumed management responsibility for Phillips Petroleum’s Olefins business. In 2000, he joined Chevron Phillips Chemical as Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and Phillips Petroleum combined their chemical businesses to create Chevron Phillips Chemical. Since that time, he has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including the Asia Region manager, senior vice president, Specialties, Aromatics, & Styrenics, and executive vice president, Olefins and Polyolefins. Mr. Lashier holds a bachelor’s degree and doctorate in chemical engineering from Iowa State University.
“Mark brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and the strategic vision that will only further elevate Chevron Phillips Chemical’s trajectory in the years ahead,” said Michael E. (“Mike”) Coyle, president, Manufacturing, Chevron and member of the Chevron Phillips Chemical Board of Directors. “We are extremely fortunate to have such a talented, effective, and passionate leader at the helm of the organization and I look forward to all that Mark and his team will accomplish together.”
Additional Executive Management moves
The company also announced several additional management changes, effective July 1, 2017.
Scott Sharp, currently senior vice president, Manufacturing, will become executive vice president, Manufacturing, reporting directly to the CEO. He will assume additional responsibilities for the commissioning and start-up of the USGC PP, while maintaining his leadership role for the company’s worldwide manufacturing operations. In addition, Mr. Sharp will provide executive oversight of the company’s global procurement operations, joint venture operations in Qatar, and manufacturing operations in Europe, Saudi Arabia and Asia. Mr. Sharp began his career with Chevron in 1985 and has held numerous management positions across manufacturing and various business lines, including vice president, Qatar and vice president, Environmental, Health, Safety & Security. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri – Columbia.
Ron Corn, currently senior vice president, Projects & Supply Chain, will become senior vice president, Petrochemicals, with responsibility for the Olefins, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) and Aromatics product lines. He will report directly to the CEO. In addition, he will provide leadership for the company’s joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and will continue to oversee final construction activities for the USGC PP. Mr. Corn has more than 37 years of industry experience and has held a series of leadership positions including senior vice president, Specialties, Aromatics & Styrenics, vice president, Corporate Planning & Development, and vice president, Olefins and NGL. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois.
Dave Morgan, currently senior vice president, Polymers, will become senior vice president, Polymers and Specialties, and report directly to the CEO. In this newly created role, he will be accountable for the global sales operations of these business lines, assume administrative responsibilities for the company’s Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and Asia regions, and lead the company’s global Supply Chain organization as well as its Performance Pipe Division. He has more than 38 years of industry experience after beginning his career at Phillips Petroleum. Mr. Morgan has held numerous leadership roles including executive president, Saudi Polymers Company and general manager, Performance Pipe. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s in business administration from the University of Houston.
Dave Smith, currently senior vice president, Petrochemicals, will assume a new role as senior vice president, Corporate Planning & Technology, reporting directly to the CEO. In this newly created role, he will have overriding responsibility for the company’s Research and Technology, Corporate Planning & Development, and Information Technology functions. Mr. Smith has more than 37 years of industry experience, beginning with Chevron and has held positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, business development, and management including vice president, Polyethylene and general manager, NAO and PAO. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan.
Jim Becker, currently vice president Specialties, will become vice president, Polymers and report to Dave Morgan. Mr. Becker has 37 years of industry experience and has previously served as executive president, Saudi Polymers Company, Asia regional manager, and general manager of the company’s Port Arthur production plant. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois and a master’s in business administration from Pepperdine College.
Jim Telljohann, currently vice president, Corporate Planning & Development, will assume a commercial role as vice president, Specialties, reporting to Dave Morgan. Mr. Telljohann has 35 years of experience with Chevron and Chevron Phillips Chemical, having previously served as the Styrenics general manager, Aromatics general manager and global business development manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University, and a master’s in business administration from Case Western Reserve University.
“I am excited and energized by the opportunity to lead an organization of such highly talented individuals and a company poised for growth and expansion globally,” said Mark Lashier. “I want to thank Pete as well for his tremendous leadership. The organizational changes we are making today will further strengthen our company’s capabilities to deliver profitable growth and meet the demands of our continuously expanding customer base.”
