Trinseo CEO to receive leadership award

BERWYN, Pa.—Throughout the past three years, Trinseo S.A. CEO and President Christopher Pappas has led the company on a course toward growth. With his focus on safety, technology and financial responsibility, Trinseo said it has tripled its value in the same number of years.

Those factors were among the criteria that led the Chemical Marketing and Economics group of the American Chemical Society's New York Section to select Pappas as the recipient of its Leadership Award for Outstanding Corporate Reinvention. He will be honored during a program held Dec. 5 at the New York Metropolitan Club.

"It is humbling to be recognized by the world's largest scientific society for our efforts to create a new kind of materials company that creates value for our customers, our people and our investors," Pappas said in a statement. "I am delighted to participate in the celebration of CME's 63 years of dedication to STEM industry programs."

Pappas joined Trinseo—originally named Styron—during its inaugural year in 2010, when it was spun off from its former parent Dow Chemical Co. as part of a leveraged buyout with private equity firm Bain Capital Partners. He was named the company CEO in March 2010 and has overseen the company since.

In 2014, Pappas guided the company through a rebranding effort which also saw its name change to Trinseo from Styron, and completed a successful IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, the company said in a news release. Since its IPO launch, the firm has seen its stock price increase by 250 percent, according to Trinseo.

In a statement, George Rodriguez, Leadership Awards founder and CME past chair, called Pappas' leadership inspiring. "Trinseo today is an incredibly successful company in terms of any measure—financial, industry reputation, and most especially safety," Rodriquez said. "And Chris is a CEO who is highly respected for his integrity, strategic vision, business acumen, and commitment to people."

Pappas' career in chemicals and plastics industry spans more than 35 years, beginning with Dow Chemical Co. in 1978. He joined DuPont Dow Elastomers L.L.C. in 1996 and served as vice president of ethylene elastomers before taking the role of commercial vice president. In 2000, he joined Nova Chemicals Corp., where he had number of roles before moving to Trinseo in 2014.

At Nova, he held the positions of senior vice president and president, styrenics; chief operating officer; president and chief operating officer; and president and CEO.

Headquartered in Berwyn, Trinseo manufactures plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber. The firm serves a range of end markets, including automotive, consumer electronics, appliances, medical devices, lighting, building and construction, and tires.