AIAC Co-Sponsors CME STEM Leadership Awards
For Immediate Release
December 10, 2024 - New York, NY AIAC, Avara Pharmaceuticals, D2A, and their affiliates co-sponsored the Chemical Marketing & Economics (CME) STEM Leadership Awards Luncheon and Gala Reception was held on December 10 at the Metropolitan Club of New York from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. The event honored the following outstanding individuals:
Richard Garriott de Cayeux, Explorers Club President,
Lori Ryerkerk, Celanese Corporation Chairman and CEO
Hubert Sagnieres, former Vice Chairman of EssilorLuxottica
Wilbur L. Ross, 39th U.S. Secretary of Commerce
The Keynote Speaker was the NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Science, Mamta Nagaraja. The Event Co-Chairs were:
Seifi Ghasemi, CEO, Air Products Chairman and
Richard Wiese, Born to Explore Executive Producer and Host and former President of the Explorers Club
Janet Walsh, President and CEO, Birchtree Global and Director of the Explorers Club.
Ed Grebow, CEO, Lakewood Advisors; Former associate and partner of Larry Tisch, Richard Ravitch, and Warren Buffett; former President and CEO of Amalgamated Bank and Sony USA.
AIAC’s guests included friends, colleagues, and fellow members of the Explorers Club:
Faye Wattleton: Former President of Planned Parenthood, former Director of Estée Lauder Companies, and Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield; Former Trustee of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Institute for International Education, and Columbia University
Dennis Flannery, CEO, Stonehill Advisors, Former Senior Officer and Senior Advisor of the World Bank, U.S. Treasury, InterAmerican Bank, Citicorp, First Boston, and Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb.
Cindy Flannery, Campaign Director and Strategist, April McClain Delaney for Congress.
Brian Shiau: Mergers and Acquisitions Director for global pulp and paper manufacturer, Paper Excellence, former SVP, AIAC
Hon. Rauan Tielin: Consul General for the Republic of Kazakhstan
Milbry Polk, Director and Fellow of the Explorers Club, prolific author and educator
Martin Kraus, Director of the Explorers Club, Photographer, United Nations Economic Development Officer
Richard Salomon, Esq., Chairman, Richard Salomon Family Foundation, formerly, Partner, Mayer Brown.
David Stringer, Esq., Associate, Lakewood Advisors
Russ Mathews, Director and Fellow, The Explorers Club, President, Air/Sea Heritage Foundation
Consul General Luc Decker of the Duchy of Luxembourg
Alan Slatas, Managing Director, AlixPartners
Leon Levy, Senior Advisor, AIAC, Former Senior Advisor to the President and Chief Operating Officer of Goldman Sachs, former Senior Advisor to the President of Greece and the Ambassador of Greece to the United Nations.
Lindsay C. Howard, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor for Michael R. Bloomberg; former Senior Policy Advisor for Dr. Henry Kissinger; Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary of the U.S. State Department and the White House Legal Advisor for National Security.
Pamela Peeters, Founder/Executive Director of the Institute for a Sustainable Planet and award-winning environmental economist and sustainability strategist
AIAC Chairman and Explorers Club Trustee L. M. Levie, nominated Richard Garriott, Hubert Sagnieres, and Wilbur Ross for the Leadership Award, and assisted in the planning for this annual event. News of the CME STEM Award to Richard Garriott was first announced at Climate Week at the Explorers Club on September 26, and event sponsored by AIAC, and its affiliate, Bradford Space.
Globally recognized, the CME STEM Leadership Award’s distinguished honorees have included James and Marilyn Simons, Founders of the Simons Foundation, Len Blavatnik, Chairman of Access Industries Holdings and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Pindaros Roy Vagelos, Chairman of Regeneron and former Chairman of Merck & Co., Jon Huntsman, Sr., Chairman of Huntsman Corporation, Ken Frazer, Executive Chairman of Merck & Co., Jim Fitterling, Chairman of Dow Inc., John Craig Venter, Chairman of Celera Genomics and the J. Venter Institute, Henry Kravis, Chair of KKR, David Cole, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell Corporation, Martin Brudermuller, Chair of BASF, Bob Patel, CEO of W. R. Grace, Charles Bolden, Administrator of NASA, and Nobel Laureates Barry Sharpless, Frances Arnold, and Carolyn Bertozzi.
Chemical Marketing & Economics, Inc. (CME) located in Morristown, NJ, is focused on accelerating diverse Space Age STEM talent leadership for sustainable innovation, environmental stewardship and global impact at the intersection of business, science and technology.
CME was established in 1954 as a division of the American Chemical Society (ASC), one of the world's largest scientific societies, with 155,000 members and 20,000 students.
CME is today an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes events with NASA, the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Lab, ACS Technical Divisions and International Chapters, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the American Chemistry Council.
CME’s award-winning interdisciplinary STEM activities include the fascinating Annual CME NASA Symposiums and Earth & Space Sustainability Summit and the unique CME PMSE Student & Mentor Awards which recognizes the most basic unit of human innovation, the student and mentor. CME is also the proud National Partner of the ACS Scholars Program and an AIChE collaborator of the FOSSI scholarships for underrepresented groups.
AIAC Chairman L. M. Levie commented, “I was delighted to nominate my dear friends Richard Garriott de Cayeux, Hubert Sagnieres, and Wilbur Ross for CME STEM’s highest award. Richard’s accomplishments in the fields of technology and business are legendary and his achievements in exploration are quite literally out of this world. He has been a truly inspirational leader, beloved by all the Explorers Club’s members for safely navigating our iconic club into its 120th anniversary year. Hubert Sagnieres’ philanthropic mission to improve vision has changed the lives of millions, and Wilbur Ross’ vision, skill and energy has saved entire industries from oblivion. They each richly deserve the CME STEM Leadership Award.”
For further information, please see:
https://www.cme-stem.org/events/2024-cme-stem-leadership-awards/
https://www.cme-stem.org/events/2024-cme-nasa-symposium-and-earth-space-sustainability-summit/
About Richard Garriott de Cayeux
Richard Garriott is the President of The Explorers Club. He is a founding father of the videogame industry and the commercial spaceflight industry, a flown astronaut, and the first explorer to have explored pole to pole, orbited the Earth, and reached the deepest point in the ocean. He built leading gaming companies including Origin Systems, authored the Ultima Series and coined the modern use of the term “avatar.” He cofounded Space Adventures, the first company to arrange space flights for private citizens and is the sixth private astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station.
The son of a NASA astronaut, he became the first second-generation astronaut, served on NASA advisory Council, and has been a key leader in civilian and commercial space through institutions such as the Challenger Center for Science Education and the XPRIZE Foundation. Richard is an avid explorer, having traveled all 7 continents, orbited the Earth aboard the International Space Station, dived to the deepest point in our oceans, and most recently summited Kilimanjaro. He is author of the book “Explore/Create.”
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Garriott
About the Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is a world-renowned international organization dedicated to promoting scientific exploration and field research across land, sea, air, and space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, the club was created to unite explorers, scientists, and adventurers involved in expeditions to uncharted territories, providing a platform for the exchange of knowledge and collaboration on significant discoveries. Its mission is to advance the cause of exploration, encourage scientific research, and inspire the next generation of explorers.
The club was born from the vision of a group of prominent adventurers and scientists, including Henry Collins Walsh, Adolphus Greely, and Carl Lumboltz, who sought a place where those pushing the limits of human endurance and curiosity could gather. Early on, the club became a meeting ground for individuals who were mapping the world’s unknown regions, from the polar ice caps to the deepest jungles. Over time, the Explorers Club attracted some of the greatest explorers and scientific minds in history.
Famous members of the club include many iconic figures who have made their mark on history. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States and an avid explorer of the Amazon and Africa, was an honorary member. Aviator Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, was a pioneering member, as was Walter Cronkite, the legendary news anchor who chronicled many of the 20th century’s great scientific achievements. Astronauts John Glen and Neil Armstrong, the first to walked on the moon, were also members.
Other notable members include Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Mount Everest, Charles Lindbergh, who made the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight, and Thor Heyerdahl, known for the Kon-Tiki expedition across the Pacific. The club’s roster also includes oceanographer Sylvia Earle, deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard, who discovered the wreck of the Titanic. It is also known for embracing the next generation of explorers, such as modern-day space pioneers and conservationists.
The club’s headquarters, located at 46 East 70th Street in Manhattan, is a historic landmark filled with artifacts, maps, and memorabilia from expeditions around the globe. The building serves as a meeting place for members, and it regularly hosts lectures, special events, and its famed annual dinner, which attracts the world's leading explorers and scientists. The Explorers Club Flag, first introduced in 1918, is awarded to expeditions of scientific merit, and has been carried to the highest mountains, the deepest oceans, the North and South Poles, and even to the moon.
Today, the Explorers Club continues to support and sponsor expeditions in fields ranging from archaeology and anthropology to oceanography and space exploration. The club provides grants and fellowships to emerging explorers, while also educating the public about the importance of conservation and exploration. Its motto, "To the Field," captures its enduring commitment to advancing human knowledge through exploration and scientific discovery.
With its distinguished history and its continued role in shaping the future of exploration, the Explorers Club remains one of the most influential organizations in the world for those seeking to uncover the unknown.
The Explorers Club continues to attract an elite group of modern-day pioneers, entrepreneurs, and scientists who push the boundaries of exploration and discovery. Among its current distinguished members are some of the most influential figures in various fields. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, and Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, represent the new frontier of space exploration. Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon, remains an active symbol of human space exploration. Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist and conservationist, champions the cause of wildlife and environmental preservation through her membership. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, embodies the spirit of adventure and innovation in both space tourism and exploration. Ray Dalio, the billionaire investor and philanthropist, and D.E. Shaw, the influential hedge fund manager, are both dedicated to supporting global scientific initiatives.
The Explorers Club also includes royalty among its ranks. Prince Albert II of Monaco, a passionate advocate for environmental protection, and the King of Bhutan, known for his environmental and conservation efforts, are both members. Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, who was made an honorary member of the club this year, is a supporter of exploration and scientific research, further cementing the club's global influence. The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a noted aviator and conservationist, was a long-time member.
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Explorers_Club
Lori Ryerkerk
Lori J. Ryerkerk is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Celanese Corporation, a Fortune 500 global chemical and specialty materials company based in Dallas, Texas. Celanese is a leader in the development and production of materials used in most major industrial and consumer applications. Ryerkerk was named as CEO, as well as a member of the board of directors, in May 2019. She was appointed Chairman in April 2020.
Previously, Ryerkerk was the Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing, the largest business in Shell Downstream Inc. She led a team of 30,000 employees and contractors at refineries and chemical sites worldwide.
Ryerkerk’s expertise in the energy industry spans three-plus decades. She combines deep technical and commercial skills with a passion for the manufacturing business. Her unwavering focus on safety, environmental and social performance is the foundation on which she has overseen some of the most technically complex operations in the industry.
Ryerkerk joined Shell in May 2010 as the Regional Vice President of Manufacturing in Europe and Africa, and was responsible for the operation of five Shell Manufacturing facilities and five joint ventures. During that time, she improved operational performance of all assets in the region. In October 2013, she was named Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Shell Downstream Inc.
Before joining Shell, she was Senior Vice President, Refining, Supply and Terminals at Hess Corporation, where she was responsible for two refineries, 21 terminals (and distribution network) and supply and trading.
Prior to that, Ryerkerk spent 24 years with ExxonMobil where she started her career as a process technologist at a refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Throughout her tenure at ExxonMobil, she took on a variety of operational and senior leadership roles in Refining and Chemicals Manufacturing, Power Generation, and various other groups including Supply, Economics and Planning, HSSE, and Public Affairs/Government Relations. Those assignments took her across the globe, from the U.S. to Europe to Asia.
Ryerkerk is a graduate of Iowa State University, where she completed her Chemical Engineering degree. She currently serves on the board of directors of Eaton Corporation, a leading provider of power management technologies and services; and previously she served on the board of Axalta Coating Systems, a leading provider of liquid and powder coatings. Additionally, she actively supports a variety of organizations in her hometown of Beaumont, Texas.
For further information, please see:
https://investors.celanese.com/websites/celanese/English/6020/management-team.html
About Celenese Corporation
Celanese Corporation, headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a prominent global leader in the chemical and specialty materials industry, with a history dating back to 1918. Over the years, the company has expanded its global reach and now operates in over 20 countries, serving diverse sectors such as automotive, healthcare, electronics, consumer goods, and industrial manufacturing. Celanese is recognized not only for its operational excellence but also for its ability to innovate and provide customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of its clients.
A key part of Celanese’s success lies in its two primary business segments: the Engineered Materials segment and the Acetyl Chain segment. Each segment serves a distinct role in the chemical and materials market, allowing Celanese to leverage its expertise and resources to provide comprehensive solutions across different industries. This structure enhances the company’s ability to respond to market demands and ensures that its global production and distribution networks remain resilient and reliable.
Celanese is also deeply committed to sustainability and innovation. The company invests heavily in research and development, aiming to create environmentally friendly materials and reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. Through advanced R&D, Celanese has developed a range of eco-conscious solutions that support clients' sustainability goals and align with growing global standards for reducing environmental impact.
With its strategic focus on global supply chain excellence, local market adaptation, and sustainable innovation, Celanese remains a preferred partner for companies worldwide. The corporation’s dedication to quality, reliability, and forward-looking practices has solidified its position as a leader in specialty materials, driving value for customers and advancing environmentally responsible solutions across the industry.
For further information, please see:
About Hubert Sagnieres
To eliminate poor vision worldwide by 2050, Hubert Sagnières founded the Essilor Vision Foundation in 2007 and has supported the Vision Impact Institute and the Eye Mitra program which trains primary vision care providers in underserved areas. He is the former Executive Vice-Chairman of EssilorLuxottica. Having a deep-rooted passion for innovation, his initiatives have fostered collaborations with research institutions and created an inspiring work environment, especially for women and young professionals, that resulted in over 100 patents per year, high growth and strong value creation. Born in Vienne, France, he is a French and Canadian executive named a Knight (Chevalier) of the Legion of Honour in 2012. Flying his own single engine aircraft, he embarked on a five-month expedition following his book Daring French Explorations: Trailblazing Adventures around the World: 1714-1854 (2023). He is an international advisory board member of the China Europe International Business School and EQT Private Equity Senior Adviser.
For further information, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Sagnières
About Wilbur L. Ross
Having served from 2017 to 2021 as the 39th U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the Honorable Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. ensured entrepreneurs and business had a propitious environment for job creation and technological progress. As co-chair of the Workforce Development Initiative, he focused on STEM education and apprenticeships, vital elements for economic growth. One of the 50 most influential people in global finance, he has restructured $400 billion of assets in a wide range of industries and has been chairman or lead director of over 100 companies operating in over 20 countries. He was the Chairman and CEO of WL Ross & Co. LLC from 2000 to 2017 following a 24-year career at the New York office of Rothschild & Co. Secretary Ross is a proud U.S. Army veteran and a distinguished graduate of Xavier High School, Yale University and Harvard Business School. He and his wife Hilary have two daughters, Jessica and Amanda.
For further information, please see:
https://2017-2021.commerce.gov/about/leadership/wilbur-ross.html
About American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) is a diversified industrial group with manufacturing and distribution sites in 24 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. AIAC has acquired and grown non-core subsidiaries and divisions of Boeing, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Johnson Controls, Merck, Pfizer, Astellas, Visteon, Carlyle, Ahlstrom, Tolko, Groupe Suez, Groupe Rexel, and many other leading multinational corporations.
AIAC companies serve companies and governmental entities worldwide in all major sectors, including aviation, space, defense, automotive, truck, rail, marine, petrochemical, solar, nuclear, food, confectionary, beverage, civil engineering and infrastructure, commercial construction, mining, dredging, disaster relief, education, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. AIAC companies manufacture materials, components, assemblies, packaging, equipment, and finished products. In addition, AIAC companies are exclusive, authorized distributors of leading branded industrial and consumer products. Moreover, AIAC companies serve as critical suppliers for major airports, schools, hospitals, performing art and sports centers, offices and hotels throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AIAC is a leading manufacturer of building, street, and highway signage in Europe, signage and illumination structures in North America, and a distributor of electrical products throughout France.
Of note, AIAC purchased Boeing Canada in 2005 and has produced over 10,000 unique components for every Boeing jet plane ever since, reliably serving Boeing from manufacturing facilities in North America. A leader in ultra-high precision jet engine component manufacturing, AIAC companies produce 2,200 fan blades and blisks for each jet engine produced by GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell. AIAC companies produce the critical automotive wire and cable for Tesla, GM, Ford, Chrysler- Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan. In connection with its kraft paper manufacturing interests in Canada and the US, AIAC controls and sustainably manages 22 million acres of Manitoba, Canada forestland, an area equivalent in size to the nation of Hungary.
AIAC companies actively support exploration into outer space, manufacturing critical components for launching and propelling spacecraft and satellites. AIAC customers in this sector include NASA, the European Space Agency, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing. AIAC companies also lead in the design and manufacture of undersea umbilical cables for worldwide oceanographic research.
Another AIAC affiliate, located in Germany, designs, manufactures and distributes high performance emergency portable power generators required during natural disasters, including extreme climate events worldwide. Clients include government agencies and the International Red Cross.
For further information, please see:
About AIAC Philanthropy
AIAC and the AIAC Foundation support a wide range of nonprofit, nonsectarian, bipartisan organizations which promote international conflict resolution, disaster relief, economic development, environmental sustainability, and exploration. The exploration-focused nonprofit organizations which they actively support include the Explorers Club, the National Geographic Society, the Royal Geographical Society, the American Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Space Society, and the United States Space Foundation.
In recent months, AIAC Companies have proudly served as a corporate sponsor of Hubert Sagniere’s historic circumnavigation of the earth in a single-engine plane (www.flightaroundtheglobe.com).
AIAC’s other beneficiaries include the Appeal of the Nobel Peace Laureates Foundation Inc., the Asia Society, the Atlantic Council, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Gates Philanthropy Partners, the Bretton Woods Committee, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Carter Center, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of New York, the Foreign Policy Association, the Institut Française des Relations Internationales, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Crisis Group, the International Rescue Committee, the Japan Society, the JFK School of Government of Harvard University, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the Sierra Club, and the Trilateral Commission.
For further information, see:
https://www.aiac.com/our-values
Media Contact:
Isabel Carro-Toro, Vice President
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
+34 689 295 827 (Spain)
+ 1 787 244 3175 (USA)
icarro-toro@aiac.com
