CEO insights from a year as ACC chair: Partnership, innovation and the future of American chemistry

Lessons from a year as ACC chair: Partnership, innovation and the future of American 
chemistry

Last year, I wrote that U.S. competitiveness begins with chemistry. Serving as chair of the American 
Chemistry Council Board of Directors reinforced a central lesson: We are strongest when our 
industry aligns around shared priorities and acts with purpose.

Progress through partnership

ACC members represent different businesses, markets and perspectives, yet they share a 
commitment to strengthening American manufacturing and the long-term competitiveness of 
chemistry. Throughout the year, I saw board members, ACC staff and member companies engage 
candidly and constructively on the issues shaping our future.

That collaboration helped shape ACC’s work on a long-term strategic plan focused on 
competitiveness and the priorities that matter most to our industry, including regulatory policy, 
innovation, trade, permitting, transportation, advanced recycling, energy and workforce 
development. These are complex issues, and meaningful progress requires sustained cooperation 
across the industry. 

Challenges that clarified our priorities

The past year brought regulatory uncertainty, trade disruptions, continued debate about plastics and 
intense global competition. These pressures underscored the need for clear priorities and practical 
action. 

We need policies grounded in sound science and implemented in ways that are predictable, efficient 
and practical. We also need conditions that support investment innovation and manufacturing growth 
in the United States. Just as important, we must communicate more clearly how chemistry enables 
the products, technologies and infrastructure people rely on every day.

Value chains are built on chemistry

Chemistry sits at the beginning of many value chains, supporting applications in health care, 
transportation, electronics, agriculture, infrastructure and more. When chemical manufacturers can 
efficiently bring innovations from the laboratory to commercial scale in the United States, they attract 
investment, strengthen supply chains and create opportunities for long-term growth. This process 
requires a policy environment that protects human health and the environment while applying sound 
science, setting clear expectations and delivering timely decisions. 

During my term, ACC continued advocating for effective implementation of the Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSCA) and launched “Chemistry Creates, America Competes,” connecting chemistry’s 
essential role with U.S. manufacturing. The message is clear: America’s manufacturing strength 
depends in meaningful part on a competitive chemical industry. Safety, public trust and innovation 
must reinforce one another.

Innovation requires people

Technology and infrastructure are essential, but people will determine our industry’s long-term 
success. Workforce development must therefore remain central to the competitiveness agenda. 

The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative demonstrates what sustained partnership can achieve. 
According to ACC, FOSSI has awarded more than 900 scholarships since its inception, and 85% of 
graduates in its first cohort were employed or pursuing advanced degrees. LYB is proud to support 
40 FOSSI scholars. These outcomes reflect the impact industry, educators and communities can 
create when they work toward a common goal.

Confidence in the road ahead

I conclude my term as chair confident in the industry’s ability to meet the challenges ahead. That 
confidence comes from the expertise and commitment I have seen across ACC, its board and its 
member companies. We have a clearer view of the priorities shaping our future and a shared 
responsibility to advance them. 

As ACC begins its next chapter, I congratulate Steve Prusak, president and CEO of Chevron Phillips 
Chemical and ACC’s incoming chair. He brings deep industry experience, sound judgment and a 
strong commitment to the association, and I look forward to supporting him as immediate past chair. 

The opportunities ahead for our industry are significant, and so are the challenges. By continuing to 
work together and maintaining a practical focus on science, innovation and competitiveness, our 
industry can help build a stronger future for American manufacturing. 

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#AmericanChemistry  #ManufacturingCompetitiveness  #ScienceBasedPolicy  #Innovation  
#WorkforceDevelopment