FREEPORT, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gary Hockstra, Vice President and Site Director of Dow Texas Operations in Freeport, has been named Vice President of Manufacturing, Engineering and EH&S for the Dow Advanced Materials Division.
“Gary’s extensive knowledge in leading large organizations focused on operational excellence and driving a culture based on EH&S will be a great value to our business portfolio,“ said Jerome Peribere, President and CEO of Dow Advanced Materials. “I am certain that with his experience and leadership he will help our division meet our aggressive goals and help transform Dow into a truly market-driven company.”
Hockstra was named Vice President and Site Director of Dow Texas Operations in December 2007.
“Leading Texas Operations has been one of the highlights of my Dow career,” said Hockstra, who will relocate to Philadelphia. “It was a privilege to work with such an outstanding group of employees, retirees and community stakeholders every day. I’m going to really miss working at this site, but I’m very excited to be a part of Dow Advanced Materials.”
Earl Shipp, the current Vice President and Site Director of Dow Michigan Operations, has been named the new Vice President and Site Director of Dow Texas Operations in Freeport. Shipp will relocate to Texas.
Hockstra joined Dow in 1980 after earning a degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University. He began his Dow career in Midland, Michigan, working in Research & Development. In 1985 he relocated to Italy and subsequently moved to Terneuzen, the Netherlands where he worked in Manufacturing & Engineering.
In 1996, Hockstra moved to Texas to serve as Light Hydrocarbons Technology Leader for Texas Operations. In 2000, he assumed the additional responsibility of Light Hydrocarbons R&D director. In late 2002, he was named Manufacturing Director of Engineering Plastics and in 2004 he assumed the role of Manufacturing Director for Engineering Polymers.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.