Emerald Performance Materials recently announced it has appointed Timothy J. Wessel, Ph.D., to the position of president of its CVC Thermoset Specialties (CTS) business group. Wessel has been president of Emerald’s Polymer Additives business group since joining Emerald in 2011, and will continue in that leadership position in addition to his new role.  

Wessel succeeds John Cech, who is retiring. Cech had been president of CTS since the acquisition of CVC Specialty Chemicals Inc. by Emerald Performance Materials in 2008. He was the founder of CVC, serving as the company’s general manager and president since its inception in 1982. Under Cech’s leadership, the business reportedly grew to become a market leader in specialty resins and additives for thermoset systems used in applications such as structural adhesives, composites, and high-performance coatings.

“The CTS business is an important part of the growth strategy for our company, so it was critical to select the right leader to succeed John,” said Candy Wagner, president and CFO of Emerald Performance Materials. “Under Tim’s leadership, our Polymer Additives business has achieved growth in select new segments, while making improvements in operations and service in core segments. We are confident that Tim will continue to build upon John’s success and excited about the growth potential of our CTS business under his leadership.”

Prior to joining Emerald, Wessel served as president of Solutia’s Advanced Interlayers Division and Technical Specialties Division. Throughout his nearly 20-year career in the chemical industry, he has held other key business positions at Monsanto, Flexsys and Solutia. 

For additional information, visit www.cvc.emeraldmaterials.com.