By David Reed, UT EditorNorthfield, Illinois-The Board of Directors of Stepan Co. has elected F. Quinn Stepan, Jr, president, to succeed his father, F. Quinn Stepan, Sr, as chief executive officer, with effect from 1 Jan. 2006. Stepan, Sr. will continue as chairman of the board of the firm, a leading producer of speciality and intermediate chemicals including aromatic polyester polyols used in making rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foam insulation.Stepan, Jr has been president of Stepan since 1999. He joined the company in 1987 after working four years for Monsanto Co. Prior to becoming president, he served as vice president and general manager of the firm's surfactant department, its largest business segment. Stepan, Jr received a BA from the University of Notre Dame in 1982 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1988. He is married with three children. In addition to his duties with Stepan, he currently serves as a director of the Follett Corp, a member of the Board of Directors of The Soap and Detergent Association, and will begin serving on The Board of the American Chemical Council on 1 Jan. 2006.F. Quinn Stepan, Sr joined the company in 1961 and has served as chairman and chief executive officer since 1984. He succeeded his late father Alfred C. Stepan, Jr, who founded the company in 1932. Under his direction, Stepan expanded from its North American base to become a global supplier of surfactants and polymer products. While chairman, sales grew from $200 million in 1984 to projected sales of over $1000 million in 2005."
