Bauza Petrovic to take over as IISRP leader from retiring Salinas

HOUSTON—There is a transition in leadership at the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers for the first time in nine years.

Juan Ramon Salinas is retiring as the association's managing director and CEO effective Sept. 1. Taking over that role is Roxanna Bauza Petrovic, a longtime official of the IISRP.

"I have had the honor and privilege of leading this great organization for nine years as CEO. I am elated by the progress of IISRP and forever grateful to our members and partners, who helped us achieve our goals," Salinas said in statement.

He had announced his intention to retire at the institute's 2023 Annual General Meeting, but said he would stay on until a successor was named.

Salinas joined the rubber industry 35 years ago, when he served as a technical manager for Dynasol Elastomers S.A. Over the following two decades-plus, he held positions of increasing responsibilities, eventually leading the sales and marketing teams as a global commercial director.

He was named as managing director of the Houston-based IISRP in 2015, succeeding James McGraw, who had led the association since 1999.

Salinas had been named as Dynasol's representative with the IISRP in the Americas Section in 2007 he was named Dynasol's representative with the IISRP in the Americas section. He then served as vice president of the Americas section in 2013-14 and as president in 2014-15 before transitioning to the IISRP's staff.

Bauza Petrovic also has a long history in the synthetic rubber industry. She joined Negromex in 1999, working in quality control, engineering and procurement for Negromex, She transferred to Dynasol L.L.C. as a marketing specialist in Houston in 2003.

Bauza Petrovic joined the IISRP as the general director of programs in 2012. She holds a bachelor's in chemical engineering, and she completed her MBA in digital marketing in 2018.

The IISRP was started in 1960. It has more than 60 corporate members across 22 countries that collectively produce 75 percent of the world's supply of synthetic rubber. Besides its headquarters in Houston, the institute has section offices in Italy, Japan and China.