Bill Jones to retire, Tokai Carbon names successor

FORT WORTH, Texas—After nearly 22 years with Tokai Carbon CB Ltd., President William Jones is stepping down from the post, effective June 30.

Mark Leigh has been named Jones' successor, stepping into the president's role June 1. Leigh joined the company in September, serving as vice president of sales and marketing at Tokai Carbon CB.

"The Tokai Carbon CB Board feels strongly that Mark is very well qualified to lead the Tokai Carbon CB team forward," the Fort Worth-based carbon black maker said in a statement. " … Mark is a seasoned executive with proven leadership experiences. He will be focusing the Tokai Carbon CB team on fortifying sales growth, production reliability strategies, and Tokai employee development."

Jones, whose career in the carbon black industry spans 45 years, joined Tokai Carbon CB—formerly Sid Richardson Carbon & Energy—as vice president of manufacturing and engineering in January 2020. He was named president of Tokai Carbon CB in March 2006.

Tokai Carbon Co. Ltd. acquired Sid Richardson in 2018, and Jones played a key role in helping to transition the company. It was a role, he said, he took pride in.

"I consider two of my most memorable career achievements as my work in the design and startup up of a carbon black plant in Hungary, and then managing the transition from Sid Richardson to Tokai Carbon CB," Jones said in a Tokai Carbon news release.

Prior to joining Tokai Carbon CB, Jones worked with Phillips Petroleum and Columbian Chemicals in roles both domestic and international.

Tokai Carbon CB is part of Tokyo-based Tokai Carbon Co. Ltd., a global producer of high-quality, furnace grade carbon blacks. The company's portfolio includes 40 grades of carbon black produced at three manufacturing locations. Tokai Carbon CB's U.S. headquarters is located in Fort Worth along with a research and development facility.