Chevron Phillips Chemical names Steve Prusak as new president, CEO

Steve Prusak. Photo Credit: Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.

Materials maker Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. (CP Chem) has named Steve Prusak as its new president and CEO effective March 1, succeeding outgoing leader Bruce Chinn, who is retiring.

Prusak, a 30-plus year veteran of the chemical industry, currently serves as CP Chem’s senior vice president. Since joining CP Chem soon after its inception in 2000, he has held various roles in commercial, business development, finance and projects.

Other management changes effective March 1 include:

Mitch Eichelberger, currently executive vice president, polymers and specialties, will retire from the company after more than 40 years.

Justine Smith, currently senior vice president, petrochemicals, will become executive vice president, commercial, assuming additional responsibility for the polymers and specialties businesses. Smith joined CP Chem in 2020 and previously held commercial, strategy and operations leadership positions in the United States and Asia at BASF Corp.

Bryan Canfield, currently senior vice president, manufacturing, will take on additional responsibility for projects organization and will become executive vice president, manufacturing and projects. Canfield joined CP Chem in 2019 and previously held leadership roles in engineering and operations at TotalEnergies.

And Kevin Ristroph, currently vice president, specialties, will become senior vice president, corporate planning and technology, overseeing the company’s strategy and research and technology functions. Ristroph joined CPChem at the inception of the joint venture and has held roles of increasing responsibility in operations, business development and commercial in the U.S., Asia, and the Middle East.

CP Chem is a major supplier of polyethylene and related feedstocks and specialty chemicals based in The Woodlands, Texas. The firm is a 50-50 joint venture between energy firms Chevron and Phillips 66.