Merit and Biographies

Chris Pappas - 2017 Outstanding Corporate Reinvention Leadership Award

Few companies in the chemical sector have tripled in value in the last three years. This achievement has been the result of Mr. Pappas’ visionary leadership and focus on safety, technology, financial discipline, and growth.

As a global materials solution provider, Trinseo produces plastics, synthetic rubber and latex binders that are used in everyday products across a wide range of end-markets. Trinseo materials help improve fuel efficiency in tires, light-weighting plastics in cars for safety and strength, efficient LED lighting, life-saving chemical resistant medical devices, stringent requirements in food packaging and aesthetic home appliances.

“The level of visionary leadership needed to transform a collection of separate commodity businesses into a unified company with a clear strategy and vision is simply inspiring,” Mr. George Rodriguez, Leadership Awards founder and CME Past Chair noted. “Trinseo today is an incredibly successful company in terms of any measure – financial, industry reputation, and most especially safety. And Chris is a CEO who is highly respected for his integrity, strategic vision, business acumen, and commitment to people.”

Pappas has a 35-plus year distinguished career and proven operating experience in the chemicals and plastics industry, and is an accomplished leader of complex global businesses. Pappas started his career at The Dow Chemical Company in 1978. In 1996 he joined DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC where he was Vice President of Ethylene Elastomers and later Commercial Vice President. He joined NOVA Chemicals Corporation in 2000 and held positions as Senior Vice President & President, Styrenics; Chief Operating Officer; President and Chief Operating Officer; and finally in 2009 as President and CEO.

He was named to lead Trinseo (formerly known as Styron) in March 2010, and assumed the CEO role upon the sale of Trinseo from Dow to Bain Capital Partners in June 2010. Pappas serves on the Executive Leadership Team and the Board of Directors of Trinseo. Pappas also serves on the Board of Directors for FirstEnergy Corp. and Univar Inc. Previously, he has served on the Board of Directors for Methanex Corp., NOVA Chemicals Corporation, and Allegheny Energy, Inc. Pappas holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from The Wharton School of Business. He is a member of the External Advisor Board for Georgia Tech’s School of Civil & Environmental Engineering. He is married and has three children.

David Skorton - 2017 Science Involvement Leadership Award

Dr. David J. Skorton is the 13th Secretary of the Smithsonian. He assumed his position July 1, 2015. As Secretary, Skorton oversees 19 museums and galleries, 20 libraries, the National Zoo and numerous research centers, including the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. He is responsible for an annual budget of $1.3 billion, 6,500 employees and 6,300 volunteers. The Smithsonian’s federal appropriation for fiscal year 2015 is $819.5 million, which accounts for 62 percent of the Institution’s funding. The Smithsonian generates additional funding from private contributions and business revenues.

Skorton, 67, a board-certified cardiologist, previously was the president of Cornell University, a position he held from July 2006. He was also a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and in Cornell’s Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Engineering. His research focus is congenital heart disease and cardiac imaging and image processing. Skorton is the first physician to lead the Smithsonian. An ardent and nationally recognized supporter of the arts and humanities, Skorton has called for a national dialogue to emphasize the importance of funding for these disciplines. He asserts that supporting the arts and humanities is a wise investment in the future of the country.

Roque Benavides - 2017 Lifetime Achievement Leadership Award

Founded in 1953, Buenaventura is a Peruvian precious metals producer with vast experience in exploration, development, construction and mining operations in Peru. It is the first Latin American mining company, and the first Peruvian firm, to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1996.

“Mr. Benavides has created a business culture of excellence with special attention to employees, the environment and the communities in which Buenaventura operates,” Mr. George Rodriguez, Leadership Awards founder and CME Past Chair noted. “His dedication to advancing international trade, sustainable innovation and educational organizations have been remarkable.”

Mr. Benavides led the Business Council for International Negotiations (CENI) in support of the Peru for the Free Trade Agreement with United States. He has been decorated by the Governments of Ecuador and Brazil for the integration of businesses between Peru and Ecuador after the Peace Treaty signed among the two countries in 1998. Has also has been decorated by the Government of Italy.

Mr. Benavides was Chief Financial Officer of the company from 1985 till 2001, when was appointed President and CEO, in March 2011 he became Chairman and CEO and in 2017 he was appointed Chairman. He is currently Chairman of CONFIEP (National Confederation of Private Enterprises). He serves as Board Member of Banco de Crédito del Peru, Unión Andina de Cementos S.A.A. (UNACEM) and Sociedad Minera El Brocal. He also has served as a Board Member of the SNMPE (National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy), since 1988, serving as Chairman of the Board from 1993 to 1995. Mr. Benavides served as Chairman of CONFIEP from 1999 to 2001. In 2001, Mr. Benavides was appointed to the Board of the World Gold Council and in 2008 was appointed President of the Silver Institute.

Mr. Benavides received a B.S. in Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Pontifical Catholic University of Peru) in Lima, Peru in 1977 and an M.B.A. from Henley Management College (U.K.) in 1980. He has completed management development programs at Harvard and Oxford University.

John Keller - 2017 Extraordinary Innovation Leadership Award

Shionogi Inc. is the US subsidiary of Shionogi & Co. Ltd., a pharmaceutical company with headquarters in Osaka, Japan. For over 139 years, Shionogi has been dedicated to developing medicines that protect the health and well-being of patients worldwide.

"Few companies of any size in the pharmaceutical sector have tripled in value in the last three years. This achievement is the result of Shionogi's dedication of innovation and focus on patients," Mr. George Rodriguez, Leadership Awards founder and CME Past Chair said.

Since joining Shionogi Inc. in 2010, Dr. Keller has played an instrumental role in establishing highly effective and efficient development and commercialization capabilities at Shionogi Inc. In this period, Shionogi obtained its first two US NDA approvals as a global organization, and Shionogi Inc. is now tightly focused on its science-based heritage and core therapeutic areas, including Infectious Disease and Pain/CNS.

Dr. Keller joined Shionogi Inc. in July of 2010, as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy, and was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the Shionogi Inc, Board of Directors, in April 2011. In April 2013, Dr. Keller was appointed as a Corporate Officer of Shionogi & Co. Ltd, and was promoted to Senior Executive Officer in April 2017. Immediately prior to joining Shionogi, Dr. Keller was a Partner in SR One, the venture capital group of GlaxoSmithKline. Previously, Dr. Keller served at Incyte Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline and its predecessor, SmithKline Beecham. Dr. Keller is also President of the New York Pharma Forum and a Board member of ViiV Healthcare Ltd. Dr. Keller holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from Rutgers University and a Bachelor degree in biology from Johns Hopkins University.