Leadership
Board of Directors
Executive Leaders
Chairman, President & CEO
McNeel joined LORD as president and CEO in 2002. In 2011, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for LORD.
Under McNeel’s leadership, LORD developed and expanded manufacturing plants in China and Germany as well as established regional headquarters in Geneva and Hong Kong to support the sales growth in the European and Asia-Pacific regions. In addition, McNeel led a major acquisition in 2006 to consolidate LORD Corporation’s leading global position in the rubber-to-substrate adhesive market and has divested non-core businesses.
McNeel started his career in the chemical industry with Amoco Chemical and Amoco Corporation in 1970, where he held a variety of positions. Before joining LORD, he was group vice president for BP Chemicals in London, U.K. Prior to that, he was group vice president, Chemical Intermediates Amoco Chemicals; group vice president, Polymers, Amoco Chemicals; and president, Amoco Performance Products, Inc. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
McNeel currently serves on a number of boards and committees including the University of Nebraska Engineering College (Advisory Board Member), Regional Transportation Alliance Planning Committee (Vice Chair), U.S. Chamber of Commerce International Policy Committee (Member), Aerospace Industries Association (Board of Governors) and the Nöel Group (Advisory Board).
Dr. Sheldon A. Buckler served as Chairman of LORD Corporation's Board of Directors from 2000-2011. He also served as interim president in 2002 and was instrumental in the hiring of Rick McNeel.
Dr. Buckler serves as the Chairman of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary as well as the Chairman of the Executive Committee for NSTAR Corporation, which formed via the merger of Commonwealth Energy and Boston Edison. In addition, Dr. Buckler is the Lead Director of the Nashua Corporation, the Aseco Corporation and the Micrologic and Parlex Corporation.
After receiving his bachelor's degree from New York University in 1951, Dr. Buckler traveled to Columbia University to obtain his Ph. D. in Chemistry in 1954. While in service with the U.S. Army (1954-1956), Dr. Buckler received his Post-Doctoral at the University of Maryland. In 1956, Dr. Buckler joined American Cyanamid Co., Basic Research and worked there for six years, until he moved to AMF, Innovation Group. Two years later, Dr. Buckler left AMF, Innovation Group to work for the Polaroid Corporation. During his 30-year service to Polaroid Corporation, he held many responsibilities such as Vice President, Research; Founder, Battery and Chemical Operations; General Manager, Industrial Imaging Business; Initiator, Ventures in Soviet Union and China; and then retired as Vice Chairman. From 1995-1999, Buckler served as Chairman for the Commonwealth Energy Corporation.
The author of more than 25 publications in basic chemistry and business subjects, Dr. Buckler has been awarded 37 U.S. patents and numerous related foreign patents. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the American Chemical Society, and Whitehead Institute Board of Associates. In 1998, he received the Maurice Holland Award of the Industrial Research Institute for best paper in their Journal.
Dr. Uma Chowdhry is Chief Science and Technology Officer Emeritus (CSTO) at DuPont, a position she assumed in September 2010 after declaring her retirement at the end of this year. She was senior vice president and chief science and technology officer at DuPont from 2006-2010.
Uma joined DuPont in 1977 as a research scientist. She subsequently took on various research and management roles, and in December 2004, she assumed responsibility for the company’s core research programs. In June 2006 Uma was appointed CSTO, a position that made her responsible for all the company’s market-driven science and technology-based innovations and one that earned her the distinction of becoming the first woman to be appointed CSTO at a Dow 30 company.
In 1996, Chowdhry was elected as a member of National Academy of Engineering. She received a B.S. in physics from the Indian Institute of Science, Mumbai University, an M.S. in engineering science from Caltech, and a Ph.D. in materials science from MIT.
Dr. Delores M. Etter, Ph.D., holds the Texas Instruments Distinguished Chair in Engineering Education and serves as the Director, Caruth Institute for Engineering Education, Electrical Engineering Department, at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. Etter joined the SMU faculty in June 2008 and holds a joint appointment in the Computer Science Department and is a Senior Fellow of the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies.
Etter previously held the Office of Naval Research Distinguished Chair in the Electrical/ Computer Engineering Department at the United States Naval Academy where she served as a member of their faculty from 2001 to 2008. She is a former member of the Electrical/Computer Engineering Departments at the University of Colorado, Boulder (1990-98) and at the University of New Mexico (1980-89).
Etter also has held two senior executive positions in the Department of Defense. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RDA) from 2005 through 2007, Etter was the Senior Acquisition Executive for the Navy and the Marine Corps. She was also the Senior Acquisition Executive for several joint programs including the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP). From 1998 through 2001, Etter served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology.
She is a recipient of the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the Secretary of Defense Outstanding Public Service Medal, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal among other national awards and honors.
Gen. McCorkle, recently retired Deputy Commandant for Aviation Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington D.C., began his military career as a naval aviator in 1969. He served in Vietnam and flew over 1,500 combat missions. Throughout his career he has accumulated over 6,400 flight hours in more than 50 different series of aircraft.
The General’s assignments, accomplishments and decorations are numerous and include the Distinguished Flying Cross, The Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal.
James J. Morris retired from The Boeing Company at the end of 2006 after a 35-year career spanning commercial airplanes, helicopters, tilt-rotors and strategic missiles in roles ranging from technology, engineering, flight test, manufacturing and supplier management to program management and joint venture management assignments. In his last assignment at Boeing, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Prior to this assignment, Morris led the Commercial Airplanes Supplier Management organization where he was responsible for all purchasing and internal parts production for Boeing Commercial jetliners. In addition, Morris previously served as Vice President for Twin Aisle Airplanes with responsibility for the 747, 767 and 777 programs, as well as Vice President for U.S. Army Programs and Military Rotorcraft.
Mickey Pohl is the worldwide Head of the Product Liability and Tort Litigation Practice at Jones Day, one of the world’s largest law firms. He is resident in the Firm’s Pittsburgh Office. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America in three separate categories: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Product Liability Litigation. He has tried a wide variety of jury and non-jury cases across the United States and has extensive appellate experience. He has also represented and advised numerous clients in litigation matters in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia.
Mickey graduated from Princeton University in 1970, served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1971-1972) and in 1975 graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. He was the law clerk to Justice Samuel J. Roberts of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (1975-1976) Term.
He is the Vice Chairman of the Rand Corporation’s Institute for Civil Justice and a member of the American Law Institute. He serves on the Board of the Foundation Maria Thron in Austria and other civic and charitable boards. He was the Chairman of the 2007 United States Open golf championship.
As the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Rolls-Royce North America Inc. (RRNA), William T. Powers is responsible for the management and direction of all finance functions including headquarters, accounting, financial service center, treasury and cash management, corporate development, business assurance, corporate risk management, taxation and sales finance. He has held this position since July 2000. Prior to this time, Powers served as the Director, Mergers & Acquisitions for Rolls-Royce plc, as well as the Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Capital Ltd., both of London. Other experience includes Vice President, Customer Finance for RRNA and Assistant Vice President, Aerospace Industry Unit for Barclays Bank.
In addition to his position with RRNA, Powers serves on the Board of Exostar Inc. and Pembroke Group Inc. With a master’s degree in Business Administration, Banking & Finance from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University, Powers has a B.S. in Economics from Villanova University.
James P. Rogers is President of Eastman Chemical Company and head of the company’s Chemicals & Fibers Business Group.
He was born on March 23, 1951 in Betheseda, Maryland. He graduated with High Distinction and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Virginia with a B.A. degree in psychology in 1973. In 1983, he received an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
From 1973 through 1980, Rogers served in the United States Navy as a naval aviator, flying off of the U.S.S. Eisenhower, and achieving the rank of Lieutenant.
After receiving his MBA in 1983, Rogers joined Morgan Guaranty Trust Company and over the next four years rose to the level of Vice President in Corporate Finance. While there, he was involved in large credit facilities, along with financings for mergers and acquisitions and LBO transactions.
In 1987, Rogers joined Amphenol Corporation, an LBO in the electronic connector industry, as Treasurer.
In 1992, Rogers joined GAF Corporation/International Specialty Products, Inc. as VP & Treasurer. GAF is the nation’s largest roofing manufacturer; International Specialty Products was a NYSE-traded specialty chemicals company. A year later in 1993, Rogers became Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of GAF. At the same time, he served as Executive Vice President, Finance, of International Specialty Products, Inc. He held these positions until joining Eastman in August 1999.
He was named Executive Vice President of Eastman Chemical Company and President of Eastman Division in November 2003, the position he held at the time of his current appointment.
Rogers serves on the LORD Corporation Board of Directors. LORD Corporation is a private technology company. Locally, he serves as President of the Executive Board of the Sequoyah Council, Boy Scouts of America. He has a wife, Laura, and two daughters, Kate and Jessie.
Chairman, President & CEO
McNeel joined LORD as president and CEO in 2002. In 2011, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for LORD.
Under McNeel’s leadership, LORD developed and expanded manufacturing plants in China and Germany as well as established regional headquarters in Geneva and Hong Kong to support the sales growth in the European and Asia-Pacific regions. In addition, McNeel led a major acquisition in 2006 to consolidate LORD Corporation’s leading global position in the rubber-to-substrate adhesive market and has divested non-core businesses.
McNeel started his career in the chemical industry with Amoco Chemical and Amoco Corporation in 1970, where he held a variety of positions. Before joining LORD, he was group vice president for BP Chemicals in London, U.K. Prior to that, he was group vice president, Chemical Intermediates Amoco Chemicals; group vice president, Polymers, Amoco Chemicals; and president, Amoco Performance Products, Inc. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
McNeel currently serves on a number of boards and committees including the University of Nebraska Engineering College (Advisory Board Member), Regional Transportation Alliance Planning Committee (Vice Chair), U.S. Chamber of Commerce International Policy Committee (Member), Aerospace Industries Association (Board of Governors) and the Nöel Group (Advisory Board).
Chief Operating Officer
Jack De Leon, Chief Operating Officer, joined LORD Corporation in 2003 as Vice President, Marketing and Business Development. In 2005 he was appointed Vice President, Marketing and Sales. In 2008 he was appointed Vice President, Global Business Management. Throughout his business career, De Leon has worked with leading-edge companies to develop and deliver technical solutions to global customers to improve the productivity of their manufacturing and processing operations or the performance of their end products.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Military Foundation and on the Leadership Team of the Regional Transportation Alliance.
De Leon joined LORD from Rockwell Automation Control Systems where he served in a variety of executive leadership positions in marketing, business development and general management. Prior to Rockwell Automation, he held progressive manufacturing, marketing and sales management positions at Texas Instruments.
He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Open Device Vendors Association and ControlNet International as well as the Strategic Advisory Board for IEEE.
Prior to his business career, De Leon served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned Air Defense Artillery officer, serving in Germany and the U.S. as a platoon leader, battery executive officer and battalion assistant operations officer. De Leon earned a B.S. in Engineering from the United States Military Academy and a M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Tennessee.
Senior Vice President, Strategy and Market Development
Sharon A. Williams, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Market Development, joined LORD Corporation in 1989 as a Laboratory Technician in the LORD Chemlok Adhesives Technical Service Area in Erie, Pa. Over the next decade, she took on assignments of increasing responsibility, interacting with customers in roles across the company’s adhesive business and serving in various Global Market Manager positions from 2000-2002.
Williams served as Manager of the company’s Sales and Automotive division from 2002- 2003, leading the establishment of LORD Corporation’s Automotive Technical Center in Wixom, Michigan. In 2004, she was named Global Market Manager of the company’s Industrial Mechanical Parts business; she has held Director-level business management positions since 2005. Williams was named Director of the company’s European Region in 2006, when she spearheaded the company’s transition to its Geneva, Switzerland-based European headquarters. In 2008, Williams was appointed Vice President of Europe for LORD Corporation. In 2009, she returned to the company’s worldwide headquarters in North Carolina and was named Vice President of Strategic Planning and Services.
Williams received her B.S. in Secondary Education, Chemistry, from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and completed additional coursework equivalent to a B.S. in Chemistry at The Behrend College at Pennsylvania State Erie. She earned her MBA from Duke University in 1999 and most recently participated in The Executive Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Vice President, Global Business Management
Ed Auslander was appointed Vice President, Global Business Management in 2010 and has the responsibility for all of the Corporation’s Value Streams. Each Value Stream collaborates across regions and functions to develop and execute its strategic business plan.
Ed began his career at LORD in 1984 as part of the student Co-op Program, and over the years has held various managerial positions in our Aerospace, Industrial, and Chemical Products groups, including overseas assignments with his family in Strasbourg, France as Industrial Products Sales Manager, Europe and Manchester, England as Thermoset Products Sales Manager, Europe. Upon returning to the United States in 2007, Ed was appointed Global Business Director, Elastomer Process Materials later becoming the Global Business Director for Aerospace Parts & Assemblies and Electro-Mechanical Systems.
Ed is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1985 and an MBA in 1992. He most recently graduated from the Chicago Booth Executive Institute in 2009. He is a member of the LORD Corporation Quarter Century Club and is actively involved with the Aerospace Industries Association coordinating LORD Corporation’s participation.
Vice President, Global Human Resources
Mark Boris, Vice President, Global Human Resources, is responsible for leadership of all Human Resource initiatives in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.
Boris joined LORD Corporation in 1986 as an Employee Relations Representative. He became Manager, Human Resources, in 1988, and then Manager, Labor Relations in 1993. In 1996, Boris was appointed Manager, Customer Service for the company’s Mechanical Products Division. He returned to the Human Resource organization in 1998 as Division Manager, Human Resources, Mechanical Products Division. Boris was then appointed Director, Human Resources in 2003.
Boris is a graduate of Mercyhurst College and received his MBA from Gannon University.
President Europe
William J. Cerami joined LORD Corporation in 1976. During his 33 years at LORD, he has held numerous positions within the Corporation in the areas of Labor Relations, Plant Manager and Director at various LORD facilities. Most recently, he was Global Business Director, Aerospace and Electromechanical Systems. In 2005-2006, he served as Chairperson for Bell Helicopter’s Supplier Advisory Board. In 2009, Cerami was appointed Vice President, Europe.
Cerami received his B.S. in Business and Industrial Relations from The Pennsylvania State University Park. He also received his MBA from Gannon University.
Vice President, Global Supply Chain
Will Hinkston was appointed Vice President, Global Operations for LORD Corporation in August 2003. Will joined LORD in 1988 as Controller of the Industrial Products Division; he became Manufacturing Manager for the Industrial Products Division in 1990. In 1993, Will was named Business Unit Manager for Rail Products and Recreational Industries with responsibility for marketing, sales, and product engineering. He returned to manufacturing in 1994 as Manufacturing Manager for the Mechanical Products Division being responsible for Aerospace and Industrial manufacturing facilities and global procurement. Will was assigned in 2000 to the position of Director, Global Operations for the Mechanical Products Division, which added international operations responsibility to his prior duties.
Prior to his employment with LORD Corporation, Will began his career with Bausch and Lomb, Inc. where he held several manufacturing and financial positions including Plant Manager and Vice President/Controller for the Optical Systems Division.
Will has been a business advisor for INROADS and a guest speaker at APICS Top Management Night events. He is a senior member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He received a B.S. in Accounting from St. John Fisher College and an MBA in Operations Management from Rochester Institute of Technology.
President Americas
Joseph W. Marotta, President Americas, joined LORD in 1997 as Sales Manager, Auto Industry, Chemical Products. He has served as Director of Marketing, Chemical Products; Global Business Director, Automotive; Director, International Business; and, most recently, Vice President, Global Business Management. Prior to joining LORD, he was President of Teroson, Inc., a subsidiary of Henkel, and served as General Manager of Automotive Chemicals for W.R. Grace & Co.
Marotta earned his B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Ohio State University. He currently serves as a Director on the boards of several LORD-affiliated companies, and the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
Vice President, Global Technology
Lane R. Miller, Vice President, Global Technology, joined LORD in May 1979, as a research engineer and was promoted to Research Manager, Active Systems in 1986. Advancing to Director, Mechanical R&D in 1991, Lane led LORD Corporation’s initial commercialization activity for electromechanical products. He became Director, Mechanical & Process Technology assuming responsibility for all mechanical product R&D and process development in August 2003. In 2007, Lane was promoted to Vice President, Global Technology for all of LORD Corporation. In his organization there are more than 300 engineers, scientists and technicians that support the company’s technologies in adhesives, coatings, vibration attenuation and motion control.
Lane received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Pa.; a Master of Engineering in Engineering Science from The Pennsylvania State University, Behrend Campus; and Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. He holds more than 15 patents in active control of vibration.
Vice President, Legal & Secretary
Jonathan D. Oechsle was appointed Vice President, Legal and Secretary in 2005 and is responsible for all aspects of the legal function of the Corporation. Jon joined LORD in August 2003 as Senior Attorney and was later appointed Assistant Secretary. Jon was previously with Diosynth RTP, a contract manufacturer of pharmaceutical ingredients, where he served as General Counsel and member of the Executive Management Committee. Prior to Diosynth, Jon served as Senior Counsel of Marketing, Mergers and Acquisitions and Core Legal Services for Nortel Networks in Nashville, Tennessee and Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition, Jon began his legal career in private practice with the Business and Environmental Law sections of Moore & Van Allen, PLLC in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Jon received his JD from the College of William and Mary, and BA in Government and Foreign Affairs/Communications Studies from the University of Virginia. He is licensed to the practice of law in the state of North Carolina.
Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Tesa L. Oechsle, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer, has responsibility for all of the financial activities of the Corporation including accounting, auditing, insurance, tax and treasury, as well as financial/business analysis and planning. Tesa was appointed to the position of Assistant Vice President, Finance, in June 2006 and most recently was appointed Treasurer in January 2008.
Tesa joined LORD in 1998 as Manager, Reporting and Analysis, and has held roles of increasing responsibility as Senior Financial Executive and Director, Analysis and Planning. Tesa previously served as Chief Financial & Administrative Officer with Thermoset Plastics, Inc. and as a Sr. Staff Accountant with Somerset CPAs, a public accounting firm, both located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Tesa attended Western Kentucky University and completed her studies at Campbellsville University earning a B.S. degree in Business/Accounting. She earned her CPA in 1991 and received her MBA from the University of North Carolina in 2006.
President Asia Pacific
David Siporin currently serves as President Asia Pacific. In this role, Siporin is responsible for leading LORD Corporation's operations and growth initiatives across the Asia Pacific countries, including Regional centers in NE Asia, China, India and SE Asia and a new Asian Technology Center in Japan.
Prior to this assignment, Siporin served as Vice President, International Business, from 2005 to 2008, responsible for LORD Corporation’s businesses outside of North America. Siporin joined LORD Corporation as Vice President, Human Resources in 2001 and was appointed as Vice President, Shared Services in 2002. He began his career as Manager, Human Resources for Amoco Corporation in Chicago, Illinois in 1979 where he worked for 17 years. In 1996, Siporin joined Aristech Chemical Corporation, a unit of Mitsubishi Corporation and formerly U.S. Steel Chemical Division, where he served as Vice President, Corporate Services through 2000.
Siporin received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University. He served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Museum of History Associates from 2003 to 2008 and was Chairman in 2005-06. Dave also served for four years as a board member of the Girl Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Vice President, Global Marketing & Business Development
Rebecca Williams, Vice President Global Marketing & Business Development, is focused on the company’s key initiatives to grow new products, markets and businesses.
She began her career at LORD in 1979 as Material and Process Engineer in Erie, Pa. In 1984, she joined the Aerospace Product Design group and subsequently held engineering and management positions in design, manufacturing, sales and marketing in the company’s aerospace business.
In 2005, Williams was made Director of Marketing Communications and Customer Service and in 2007, Director of Marketing and Sales for Electronics and Automotive Markets in NA. In 2009 she was named Director of Elastomer Process Materials Value Stream.
Williams received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering and MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.



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