Dow’s Novo Receives Executive Excellence Award; Cirihal and Cavalcanti Named Luminary Honorees

The Dow Chemical Company today announced that three Dow leaders have been recognized by the Great Minds in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) organization (formerly known as HENAAC) for their commitment to a diverse and inclusive business environment.

Guillermo Novo, vice president of Dow Coating Materials, is the recipient of the organization’s Executive Excellence award, while Luis Cirihal, business director for Dow Elastomers and Fernando Cavalcanti, scientist at Dow’s Houston Oxidation Pilot Plant, were both named Luminary Honorees.

For 20 years, Great Minds in STEM has been honoring the nation’s best and brightest Hispanic engineers, scientists, and technology experts. A core mission of the organization is to highlight and showcase outstanding role models to inspire young people to pursue careers in technology and to motivate professionals to connect with the Hispanic community. All three recipients, who are also engineers, join a distinguished group of fellow Great Minds in STEM award recipients from Dow, who are all inspirations, role models and living proof of the power of the Human Element.

Novo’s career began at the former Rohm and Haas, where he took on various regional and business leadership roles including positions as country manager of Indonesia, regional director of Latin America and vice president of several global businesses. In addition to his business responsibilities, Novo also led that company’s corporate-wide diversity efforts, was a member of the board of directors for the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and served as the president of the United Way in Brazil. Following Rohm and Haas Company’s acquisition by Dow, Novo was named global business director for the Dow Polypropylene and Licensing business. In October 2009, he took on the role of vice president of Dow Polyurethanes. He assumed his current role in August of 2010.

"Guillermo’s long list of professional accomplishments is founded on his deep belief in diversity as a competitive advantage," said Jerome Peribere, executive vice president of The Dow Chemical Company and president and chief executive officer of Dow Advanced Materials. "He exemplifies the immense value that business leadership can deliver to Dow. His deep understanding of business, coupled with his genuine enthusiasm for the value science can bring to the various countries and cultures of the world, sets him apart from most people in this industry. It comes as no surprise to us, his co-workers, that Guillermo has been selected to receive this prestigious, well deserved award."

Cirihal currently serves as global business director for Dow Elastomers. In his 20- year career at Dow, he has held business leadership roles in a wide range of geographies including North America, South America and Europe.

An expert in partial oxidation catalysts, Dr. Cavalcanti has been a key member of the Performance Monomers technology community since he joined Dow in 1999. He currently serves as senior plant scientist at Dow’s Deer Park, Texas, operations.

Novo, Cirihal and Cavalcanti join a distinguished group of past award recipients from Dow, including:

• Pedro Suarez, 2009 Engineer of the Year
• Alfredo Larre, Lifetime Achievement in 2008
• Johnny Chavez, Professional Achievement in 2007
• Dr. Flor Alba Castillo, Outstanding Technical Achievement in 2007
• Juan Luciano, Chairman’s Award in 2006
• Delia Contreras, Professional Achievement in 2006
• Bernadette Melancón, Most Promising Engineer or Scientist in 2005
• Ana Davis, Professional Achievement in 2005
• Carlos Guimarães, A.V. Baez Award in 2003
• Dr. Jaime Simón, Outstanding Technical Achievement in 2002

For more information, see the Great Minds in STEM website.

About Dow

Dow combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

Responsible Care® is a registered service mark of the American Chemistry Council.