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Jonathan Rich

Jonathan Rich
Jonathan Rich

Silicone chemist

Since his early days at Iowa State, Jonathan Rich has remained true to his chemistry calling.

In his heart of hearts, Jonathan Rich ('77 chemistry) is a silicone chemist.

He can trace his roots back to the first chemistry class he took at Iowa State. And to the undergraduate research assistantship he had on campus with Tom Barton, now Distinguished Professor of chemistry.

Rich was in an organic chemistry class that Barton taught. Early in the fall semester, he went up to his professor.

"I asked him if he would be willing to take me in and let me assist him with his research," Rich recalled. "He could have dismissed me out of hand but instead he spent an entire afternoon with this sophomore chemistry major."

Barton gave Rich a job in his lab and the chemistry major worked the rest of his undergraduate years in the lab. The two remain in close contact to this day. Rich says it was that experience that made him aspire to become a silicone chemist.

After graduating with a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Rich went to work as a chemist and technology leader for General Electric Company, conducting research for its silicones business. He remained there until he left the company in 2000 to focus on other opportunities - this time with Goodyear Tire in Akron, Ohio.

There Rich ran that firm's global chemistry research before becoming president of Goodyear Tire's business in North America in 2002.

At GE, Rich had specialized in rubber chemistry, a branch of silicone chemistry that came in handy at Goodyear.

"The skills I had learned as a rubber chemist were applicable in this job," he said. "I also learned about the chemistry side of the tire business.

"The complexity and technology that goes into a tire is amazing."

There were also a few perks with the job. Rich oversaw a rubber plantation in Asia. He also hitched a ride in the Goodyear Blimp several times and even had the iconic symbol fly over his wife's hometown of Jefferson, Iowa.

As president of all Goodyear tire businesses in North America, Rich was also in charge of all the firm's stores, replacement sales, automotive tires and agriculture, mining and aircraft tires.

But his fondness for the silicone industry kept tugging at Rich. So when the opportunity to become president and chief executive officer of Momentive Performance Materials Inc. became available, which also includes its Quartz business, Rich jumped at it. He has been at the Albany, N.Y.,-based firm since 2007.

"I've come back to my first love," he says. "I still get to use my scientific background. They just don't let me in the lab anymore."

Momentive is a $2.5 billion specialty materials firm with 5000 employees located in 35 countries. It is the second largest producer of silicone-based products and a leading producer of silicon quartz products.