Sarnia, Ontario, Canada – The Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (SCA) announces the appointment of Dr. Murray McLaughlin as its new founding President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. McLaughlin is a well respected agricultural scientist and policy maker who has extensive experience in business development and venture capital financing. He will also serve on the Alliance’s Board of Directors.�The new President and CEO will start on March 01, 2009.�
Upon his appointment Dr. McLaughlin commented; “I look forward to heading up SCA, as I see it as an opportunity to help the region and Canada become leaders in the development and commercialization of sustainable technologies and processes. With sustainability as our focus we will see new businesses created and business values increase over the next few years.”
“We are very pleased and very fortunate to have hired Murray McLaughlin into this role,” said Steve Bolt, Co-chair of the SCA. “His track record in this type of activity, his knowledge in the Bio-based industry, and his government and industry contacts will be extremely valuable as he moves this very important activity forward.”
The Sustainable Chemistry Alliance is headquartered in the Bioindustrial Innovation Centre at the Sarnia-Lambton Campus of the University of Western Ontario Research Park to serve the emerging new industry in Canada. The Sustainable Chemistry Alliance has evolved from the Ontario Chemistry Value Chain Initiative, which has been implementing a strategy designed to bridge the gap between biochemistry and synthetic chemistry, focusing on areas where innovation in science and engineering can bring about major advances in sustainability. Sustainable chemistry is playing an important role in the development of solutions to the impacts from climate change, peak oil, energy security, the need for safe water, and the use of scarce natural resources.The increasing global demand for green and safer products offers the opportunity to create thousands of new jobs for Canadians. The Sustainable Chemistry Alliance is working with private firms, government academic institutions, research institutes, non-government organizations, communities, and farmers. It is active in sectors that include petrochemical and refining, automotive, forestry, plastics, and packaging.
With initial funding from the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research, and from private sources, over the next five years the Alliance will provide more than $5 million in funding for the highest potential emerging innovations and breakthroughs.
Bernard West Co-chair says; “It is very exciting to see the Sustainable Chemistry Alliance become fully operational with a highly experienced and dedicated leader. We are grateful to the many people who have voluntarily contributed their time and energy to the formation of the Alliance. We can now move ahead in a serious way to accomplish our goals of building new products and businesses and creating new jobs for Canadians.”
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For further information contact:
Mr. Steve Bolt – telephone 519-542-9173
Mr. Bernard West – telephone 416-528-8913