James Chao (age 69). Mr. Chao has been our Chairman of the Board of Directors
since July 2004 and became a director in June 2003. From May 1996 to July 2004,
he served as our Vice Chairman. Mr. Chao also has responsibility for the oversight
of our Vinyls business. Mr. Chao has over 45 years of global experience in the
chemical industry. In addition, Mr. Chao has been the Chairman of the Board
of Westlake Partners general partner since its formation in March 2014. From
June 2003 until November 2010, Mr. Chao was the executive chairman of Titan
Chemicals Corp. Bhd. He has served as a Special Assistant to the Chairman of
China General Plastics Group and worked in various financial, managerial and
technical positions at Mattel Incorporated, Developmental Bank of Singapore,
Singapore Gulf Plastics Pte. Ltd. and Gulf Oil Corporation. Mr. Chao, along
with his brother Albert Chao, assisted their father T.T. Chao in founding Westlake
Chemical Corporation. Mr. Chao is on the board of Baylor College of Medicine
and KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program). Mr. Chao received his B.S. degree from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
Albert Chao (age 67). Mr. Chao has been our President since May 1996 and a director
since June 2003. Mr. Chao became our Chief Executive Officer in July 2004. Mr.
Chao has over 40 years of global experience in the chemical industry. In 1985,
Mr. Chao assisted his father T.T. Chao and his brother James Chao in founding
Westlake Chemical Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President until
he succeeded James Chao as President. In addition, Mr. Chao has been the President,
Chief Executive Officer and a director of Westlake Partners general partner
since its formation in March 2014. He has held positions in the Controllers
Group of Mobil Oil Corporation, in the Technical Department of Hercules Incorporated,
in the Plastics Group of Gulf Oil Corporation and has served as Assistant to
the Chairman of China General Plastics Group and Deputy Managing Director of
a plastics fabrication business in Singapore. Mr. Chao is a trustee of Rice
University. Mr. Chao received a bachelors degree from Brandeis University and
an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
M. Steven Bender (age 60). Mr. Bender has been our Senior Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer since February 2008. From February 2007 to February
2008, Mr. Bender served as our Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
and from June 2005 to February 2007, he served as our Vice President and Treasurer.
In addition, Mr. Bender has been the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and a director of Westlake Partners general partner since its formation
in March 2014, and its Treasurer since April 2015. From June 2002 until June
2005, Mr. Bender served as Vice President and Treasurer of KBR, Inc., and from
1996 to 2002 he held the position of Assistant Treasurer for Halliburton Company.
Prior to that, he held various financial positions within that company. Additionally,
he was employed by Texas Eastern Corporation for over a decade in a variety
of increasingly responsible audit, finance and treasury positions. Mr. Bender
received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University
and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University. Mr. Bender is also a Certified
Public Accountant.
Robert F. Buesinger (age 60). Mr. Buesinger has been our Senior Vice President,
Vinyls since joining us in April 2010. Prior to joining us, Mr. Buesinger served
as the General Manager and President of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company L.P.s
Performance Pipe Division from February 2010 to March 2010. From June 2008 to
January 2010, Mr. Buesinger held the position of General Manager in the Alpha
Olefins and Poly Alpha Olefins business of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
L.P. From April 2005 to May 2008, he served as the President and Managing Director
of Chevron Phillips Singapore Chemicals Pte. Ltd. and Asia Region General Manager
for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company L.P. Prior to that, he held various technical
and sales management positions within that company. Mr. Buesinger holds a B.S.
in Chemical Engineering from Tulane University.
Michael J. Mattina (age 54). Mr. Mattina has been our Senior Vice President,
Polyethylene since April 2015. From March 2011 to March 2015, Mr. Mattina served
as our Vice President and General Manager of North American Pipe and Specialty
Products. From April 2008 to February 2011, Mr. Mattina served as our Vice President,
Polyethylene and Specialty Products. From June 2005 to March 2008, he served
as Director, Polyethylene Sales, Marketing and Technical Service. From October
2001 to May 2005, Mr. Mattina served in a variety of sales and marketing management
assignments with us. Prior to joining Westlake, Mr. Mattina held various polyethylene
business management, marketing and sales positions within Chevron Phillips Chemical
Company and ExxonMobil Chemical Company. Mr. Mattina received a Bachelor of
Business Administration in Finance with a minor in Chemistry from Stephen F.
Austin University.
Lawrence E. (Skip) Teel (age 58). Mr. Teel has been our Senior Vice President,
Olefins since July 2014. In addition, Mr. Teel has been the Senior Vice President,
Olefins of Westlake Partners general partner since July 2014. From July 2012
to July 2014, Mr. Teel served as our Vice President, Olefins. Mr. Teel joined
us in September 2009 as Director, Olefins and Feedstock after a 23-year career
with Lyondell Chemical Company where he served as the Vice President, Refining
from August 2006 to May 2008. From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Teel held the position
of Director, Corporate Planning and Business Development at Lyondell Chemical
Company. During his career, he has held a variety of marketing, operations and
general management assignments. Mr. Teel received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering
from New Mexico State University and an M.S. in Finance from the University
of Houston.
Simon M. Bates (age 50). Mr. Bates has been our Vice President, Building Products
since August 2016. Prior to joining us, Mr. Bates had spent seven years with
Georgia Gulf Corporation and then Axiall Corporation where he served as Axiall
Corporations Senior Vice President, Building Products from September 2015 to
August 2016. From April 2009 to September 2015, Mr. Bates held the position
of Vice President and General Manager of Royal Exteriors at Georgia Gulf Corporation
and then Axiall Corporation. From 1996 to 2008, Mr. Bates worked for Hanson
PLC, a global building products business, in a variety of senior roles in both
Europe and North America. His last role with Hanson PLC was Senior Vice President
and General Manager for Hanson Building Products. Mr. Bates holds a Bachelors
degree in Economics from the University of York, United Kingdom and post-graduate
qualifications in Accounting and Finance and Marketing from The University of
Manchester, United Kingdom.
L. Benjamin Ederington (age 46). Mr. Ederington has been our Vice President,
General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary since
December 2015. Mr. Ederington served as our Vice President, General Counsel
and Corporate Secretary from October 2013 to December 2015. In addition, Mr.
Ederington has been the Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
and a director of Westlake Partners general partner since its formation in
March 2014. Prior to joining Westlake, he held a variety of senior legal positions
at LyondellBasell Industries, N.V. and its predecessor companies, LyondellBasell
Industries AF SCA and Lyondell Chemical Company, including most recently as
Associate General Counsel, Commercial & Strategic Transactions from March
2010 to September 2013 and interim Director of Government Affairs from March
2010 to April 2011. He began his legal career more than 20 years ago at the
law firm of Steptoe & Johnson, LLP. Mr. Ederington holds a B.A. from Yale
University and received his J.D. from Harvard University.
Andrew Kenner (age 52). Mr. Kenner has been our Vice President, Manufacturing
since July 2008. Mr. Kenner joined us after a 19-year career at Valero Energy
Corporation where he served as Vice President and General Manager of Valeros
Delaware City Refinery from September 2005 to July 2008. From August 2004 to
September 2005, Mr. Kenner held the position of Vice President and General Manager
of Valeros Houston Refinery. Mr. Kenner holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering
from Texas A&M University and a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University
of Texas at Austin.
George J. Mangieri (age 66). Mr. Mangieri has been our Vice President and Chief
Accounting Officer since February 2007. From April 2000 to February 2007, he
was Vice President and Controller. In addition, Mr. Mangieri has been the Vice
President and Chief Accounting Officer of Westlake Partners general partner
since its formation in March 2014. Prior to joining us, Mr. Mangieri served
as Vice President and Controller of Zurn Industries, Inc. from 1998 to 2000.
He previously was employed as Vice President and Controller for Imo Industries,
Inc. in New Jersey, and spent over 10 years in public accounting with Ernst
& Young LLP, where he served as Senior Manager. He received his Bachelor
of Science degree from Monmouth College and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Westlake Corporation currently has 8870 employees.