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Dow Names Performance Products Chief

Friday, August 5, 2011

The Dow Chemical Co. has appointed Joe Harlan as president of Performance Products and Performance Systems Division and an executive vice president of Dow.

Harlan, a veteran of 3M and General Electric, will join Dow’s Executive Leadership Committee and report to Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO. He will assume his new role Sept. 1, relocating from St Paul, MN, to Dow’s facilities in Midland, MI.

Joe Harlan will join Dow’s Executive Leadership Committee.

Dow’s Performance Systems Division includes Automotive Systems, Elastomers, Formulated Systems, Wire & Cable, Oil & Gas, and Fiber Solutions. Performance Products include Epoxies; Amines; Oxygenated Solvents; Performance Monomers; Polyglycols, Surfactants & Fluids; SAFECHEM; and Dow Haltermann Custom Processing.

‘New Perspective’

“I am extremely excited to have Joe join our company,” said Liveris.

“His in-depth experience in downstream markets, proven leadership abilities, exceptional international business experience, and a track record of delivering results will bring a new perspective to our Performance Products and Performance Systems Division, to take it to the next level of performance and continue to advance our transformational strategy for our company.

“Joe is a proven business executive, and I am confident he will add energy and drive to our corporate growth agenda. I welcome him to the Dow family.”

Experience: 3M, GE

Harlan joins Dow from 3M, where he was executive vice president of Consumer and Office Business. He started with 3M in 2001 as vice president of financial planning and then spent two years in Japan with Sumitomo 3M Ltd., 3M’s Japanese subsidiary.

He became executive vice president of 3M Electro and Communications Business based in Austin, TX, in 2004, and assumed his current position in 2009.

Before his time at 3M, Harlan spent 20 years with General Electric, where he held various finance and business development positions in plastics, appliance and medical systems, eventually serving as vice president and CFO of General Electric Lighting.

Harlan is a member of the Board of Directors of Flowserve Corp. and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Indiana University at Bloomington.