Gaylord Chemical Announces Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan
Gaylord Chemical Announces Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan
Paul Dennis to Retire as President and CEO, Will Remain on the Board of Directors
Frank Roederer to Succeed Paul Dennis as CEO
Slidell, LA – April 16, 2019 – Gaylord Chemical Company, LLC, a global leader in specialty chemical production and innovation, today announced that it has appointed Frank Roederer as Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2019, as part of a succession plan adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Roederer succeeds Paul Dennis, who will remain involved with the Company as a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors.
“It has been a privilege to lead this extraordinary organization, and I’m tremendously proud of the significant momentum we’ve built at Gaylord, including successfully building the Company’s sales and marketing resources and production capabilities,” said Mr. Dennis. “Frank’s appointment as CEO is the result of a thoughtful succession planning process jointly undertaken by me and the board and we are committed to working closely to ensure a smooth transition. He has an impressive track record of developing and executing profitable growth strategies and I have full confidence in his abilities to take the Company into the future. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors and watching Gaylord succeed for many years to come.”
“I am honored and privileged to be appointed to lead Gaylord Chemical, a market leader and the world’s premier producer of DMS and DMSO,” said Mr. Roederer. “Gaylord’s team has deep knowledge and unique experience in production and purification of DMS and DMSO, and I look forward to working with them to continue to develop new innovative solutions and deliver these versatile solvents to our customers, and take the company to the next level.”
“We are pleased to welcome Frank, a seasoned senior executive with over 20 years of leadership and operational experience at chemical, plastics and refining companies around the world, to Gaylord,” said Robert Fogelson, Senior Partner at EagleTree Capital, which invested in Gaylord in 2018. “His extensive industry expertise and proven leadership skills make him ideally suited to guide Gaylord in its next phase of growth, and we are confident he will help the Company build on its market-leading position. We would also like to thank Paul for his outstanding leadership and look forward to continuing to benefit from his input as a member of the Board.”
Frank Roederer Biography
Mr. Roederer joins Gaylord Chemical from A. Schulman, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering Composites Division, driving sustainable and profitable growth on a global basis. During his time at A. Schulman, Mr. Roederer also served as Vice President of Masterbatch Solutions and Business Unit Director of Specialty Powders, where he was responsible for strategy development and execution in the EMEA.
Previously, Mr. Roederer served as General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Planning at SABIC in Saudi Arabia, where he led the refinement and implementation of the company’s corporate strategy by establishing a performance management culture. In an earlier role, he was Director of Supply Chain Europe at W.R. Grace, where he executed supply chain cost reduction and sourcing optimization programs across the EMEA region. Mr. Roederer began his career at Dow Chemical, where he served in various capacities in the area of supply chain within Europe and the U.S.
Mr. Roederer holds a BS degree in Industrial Engineering from Hochschule Offenburg and an MBA from Schiller International University.
About Gaylord Chemical
Gaylord Chemical Company, LLC is the world’s premier manufacturer of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). It is headquartered in Slidell, LA with manufacturing operations in Tuscaloosa, AL. DMS and DMSO are utilized in a wide range of applications, including agriculture, microelectronics, petrochemical and pharmaceutical. Gaylord is the world’s DMSO technology leader with customers in over 60 countries.
About EagleTree Capital
EagleTree Capital is a leading independent private equity and investment firm, focused primarily on leveraged buyout investments and related investment activities. EagleTree manages capital on behalf of institutional and individual investors. The firm is focused on investments primarily in the media and business services, consumer products, and water and specialty industrial sectors. EagleTree is located in New York. For more information, visit www.eagletree.com.