Published June 25, 2014
Sunil Kumar—a University of Louisiana at Monroe alum who graduated with an MBA in
1973— was recently awarded with the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) Chemical Industry
Medal. Kumar, the Managing Principal of Wembly Enterprises and retired Chief Executive
Officer of International Specialty Products (ISP), received the medal at a dinner
in his honor at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.
The SCI Chemical Industry Medal honors an individual whose leadership, commitment
and contributions have been responsible for substantial progress and performance of
the chemical industry. In addition to being an active guiding force in the management
of their company during periods of growth or development of new businesses, recipients
are known for service rendered to the industry as a whole.
“Through his leadership, Sunil built ISP into an international leader in specialty
chemicals,” said Andreas Kramvis, chair of SCI America. “He has established himself
as a leading voice in the specialty chemicals industry and, while serving as chairperson
of SCI America, established an innovative program to encourage students to pursue
careers in industrial chemistry.”
About Sunil Kumar:
Until his retirement in 2011, Sunil Kumar was CEO, President, and Board Member of
ISP, a global manufacturer of specialty chemicals (2011 sales were $2.1 billion).
Over his tenure, he made a number of accretive acquisitions and built exports to the
point of representing 50 percent of sales and income. ISP maintained an admirable
annual profit growth rate of 11 percent over 10 years and maintained the highest margins
in their industry. Kumar became a leading spokesperson for the specialty chemicals
segment and was frequently quoted in trade publications.
Prior to ISP, Kumar was President and CEO of GAF Materials Corporation ($3 billion
in sales), the world’s largest manufacturer of roofing products for residential and
commercial buildings. Before that, he was Executive Vice President of Bridgestone/Firestone,
and was responsible for Bridgestone/Firestones North American tires and auto services
business which is now about $6 billion in annual sales. He had earlier started a business
that became Firestone Building Products Company which is now a $1 billion manufacturer
of roofing and insulation products.
Kumar continues to work in the chemical industry through ownership of two specialty
businesses—Universal Plastics Inc. and Nylon Corporation of America. Additionally,
he is Senior Advisor to Reliance Industries Limited.
Kumar was a Board Member of the American Chemistry Council from 1999-2011 and President
of the Socit de Chimie Industrielle from 2008-2010. He served as Chairman of the Society
of Chemical Industry in 2009-2010. During his time as Chairman of SCI, he was instrumental
in starting their SCI Scholars Program, an initiative to encourage college students
to pursue careers in industrial chemistry and chemical engineering.
Kumar was selected to be the 2005 Specialty Chemicals CEO of the Year by Frost & Sullivan,
a distinguished international industry and market research firm. In 2006, he was given
the Distinguished Alumnus Award by his alma mater, the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT).
A native of New Delhi, India, Kumar holds a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering
from IIT, and an MBA from the ULM.
