Westlake Chemical Elects Michael J. Graff and R. Bruce Northcutt to Board

HOUSTON, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- PRNewswire/ Westlake Chemical Corporation (NYSE:WLK) today announced that Mr. Michael J. Graff (57) and Mr. R. Bruce Northcutt (53) have been elected to the company's board of directors.

Mr. Graff is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. and a Senior Vice President of the Paris-based Air Liquide Group. Mr. Graff began his career with Amoco Corporation and then worked for BP plc, where he last served as President and Chief Executive Officer of BP Polymers Americas.  He serves on the Board of the American Chemistry Council, the Executive Committee of the Society for Chemical Industries, the Board and Executive Committee of Children at Risk and is also a member of the Greater Houston Partnership and the Energy Forum of the Baker Institute at Rice University.  Mr. Graff holds a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and has studied business at the University of Chicago and has completed executive management programs at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Cambridge and the Stanford University Law School.

Mr. Northcutt most recently served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Copano Energy, L.L.C, until May 2013 when Copano was acquired by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP.  Prior to joining Copano as President and Chief Operating Officer, he was serving as President of El Paso Global Networks Company and held other executive positions with various levels of responsibility with El Paso Energy, and its predecessor, Tenneco Energy, including Vice President Business Development for El Paso Gas Services Company and directing  pipeline supply, marketing and regulatory functions. Mr. Northcutt began his career as a drilling and production engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. 

"We are delighted that Mike and Bruce have been elected to join our board. They bring a unique combination of executive and boardroom experience, as well as in-depth knowledge of the oil, gas, chemicals, and related upstream and midstream industries and global markets to the table.  We look forward to working closely with them as they share their perspective with the board," stated James Chao, Chairman of Westlake Chemical Corporation.

Westlake Chemical Corporation (WLK)
Westlake Chemical Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers and building products with headquarters in Houston, Texas.  The company's range of products includes ethylene, polyethylene, styrene, propylene, caustic, VCM, PVC resin and PVC building products, including pipe and specialty components, windows, and fence.  For more information visit the company's web page at www.westlakechemical.com.

SOURCE Westlake Chemical Corporation