By Frank Esposito
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Published: September 8, 2014 3:18 pm ET
Updated: September 8, 2014 3:20 pm ET
Image By: Dow Chemical
James Fitterling
Recent changes made by Dow Chemical Co. will affect the leadership ranks of the firm’s plastics businesses.
Executive Vice President James Fitterling — who since 2012 had led Dow’s performance plastics unit, including polyethylene — now is vice chairman of business operations. In that role, Fitterling will have executive oversight of several Dow businesses, including packaging and specialty plastics, elastomers, electrical & telecommunications, polyurethanes, epoxy, specialty chemicals, chemicals, hydrocarbons, and energy.
Fitterling, 52, also will continue to oversee the carve-out and divestment of the firm’s previously announced chlorine, chlorinated organics, and epoxy units. The 30-year Dow veteran also will handle supply chain responsibilities for several Dow businesses in place of David Kepler, who is retiring after 39 years with Dow.
Dow Executive Vice President Joe Harlan has been named chief commercial officer and vice chairman for market businesses. In that role, he’ll have executive oversight for Dow’s market-driven businesses, including electronic materials, automotive systems, coating materials and building & construction. Each of those units include plastic-related products.
Harlan, 53, had led Dow’s chemicals, energy and performance materials — including polyurethane, epoxies, plastic additives and automotive systems — since 2012. He joined Dow in 2011 after a total of 30 years with 3M Corp. and General Electric Co.
Howard Ungerleider has been appointed chief financial officer, replacing William Weideman, who will end his 38-year Dow career at the end of 2014. Ungerleider, 46, has been with Dow for 24 years. He was commercial vice president of the firm’s basic plastics business from 2006-08 and president of performance plastics from 2011-12.
In a Sept. 8 news release, Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris said that Ungerleider “has been instrumental in transforming Dow to a more market-driven, innovative and technology-led organization.”
Midland, Mich.-based Dow ranks as one of the world’s largest plastics and chemicals makers, with annual sales of more than $57 billion. | 
