July 10, 2008

4 Min Read
Dooley Selected President and CEO of American Chemistry Council

Bob Wood, chairman of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Board of Directors and chairman and CEO of Chemtura, has announced that Cal Dooley, currently the president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), has been selected to lead ACC. The ACC Executive Committee earlier this week approved Dooley’s selection to take over the position as current ACC president and CEO Jack Gerard leaves to head up the American Petroleum Institute (API) on September 1. Dooley will officially begin at ACC on September 8.

“We are very excited about Cal coming to ACC, as he brings a breadth of experience and leadership skills that are critical to the challenges and opportunities we face in the business of chemistry,” said Wood. “Jack Gerard has taken ACC to new heights, and we are grateful for his outstanding management and commitment to advocacy. I strongly believe that Cal’s selection to succeed Jack makes for a seamless transition. Cal’s knowledge of industry, his excellent bi-partisan reputation on Capitol Hill, his savvy business sense, and his political acumen make him a great choice to lead our association. I know I speak for all ACC members when I say that we look forward to working with him.”

Dooley has led GMA since it merged with the Food Products Association (FPA) in January 2007, and was president and CEO of FPA for two years before the merger. Prior to that, he served seven terms as a Member of Congress from the San Joaquin Valley area of California. While in Congress, Dooley was founder of the New Democrat Coalition, an organization of centrist, pro-growth Members of Congress. He was a leader in advancing a pro-trade agenda, fostering new growth and high-tech initiatives, and was named by Congressional Quarterly as one of the House’s most influential “Power Players.” He also is committed to grassroots activism and has enhanced political engagement activities among members. In 2005, President George W. Bush appointed Dooley to the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Before his election to Congress, Dooley was a partner in his family-owned Dooley Farms. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1977 from the University of California at Davis, and, in 1987, earned a Master’s in Management as a Sloan Fellow at Stanford. He and his wife, Linda, live in Virginia and have two college-graduate daughters.

Dooley said, “ACC is a dynamic organization with hard-working and dedicated employees and members, and many issues on the forefront of debate in the states and on Capitol Hill. As I’ve done in my previous positions, I will approach advocacy with a business perspective and look forward to building broad-based coalitions with industry partners and stakeholders. There is a great deal of commonality in the issues being addressed at ACC and those in which I am currently involved. I am honored that the ACC membership has placed their trust and confidence in me to lead the Council on these issues, and into the next stage of gold-standard advocacy.”

Gerard concluded, “I’ve known Cal for quite some time and am confident that he will provide the strategic and tactical direction to continue the momentum we have seen in the past few years. ACC has welcomed back 33 new members in the past 30 months, has a budget that is solidly in the black, and has seen a number of legislative and regulatory successes on security, energy, rail, environment, and state product issues. Cal has the commitment and experience to continue strong advocacy in those arenas and will be a tremendous asset to the Council and our industry.”

The ACC represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $664 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation’s largest exporters, accounting for 10 cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.

For more information, visit www.americanchemistry.com.

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