Max Lewis

Vice President – Global Innovation
The Sherwin-Williams Company

Max Lewis was appointed Vice President – Global Innovation for The Sherwin-Williams Company in January 2008. Previous to this assignment, he was Vice President – R&D for the Paint & Coatings Division. Max is currently responsible for coordinating the world-wide research & development, manufacturing technology, and technical service functions supporting the company’s nine (9) operating divisions. Max chairs the company’s Innovation Council and is also responsible for new technology ventures and the company’s effort to backward integrate into key raw materials. Max has 30 years of industrial experience having held a variety of positions in marketing, engineering, R&D, and manufacturing support.

Max earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he graduated Valedictorian of the College of Engineering and Technology. Max also holds an MBA degree from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. He began his career in 1979 in Ponca City, Oklahoma, as a Research Engineer with Conoco Inc. in their Chemicals Division. Conoco Inc. was subsequently acquired by DuPont, and in 1987, Max transferred into DuPont’s Titanium Technologies business. Max joined Sherwin-Williams as Director of Applied Research in 1995, leaving a marketing management position within DuPont.

Max is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and is a Registered Professional Engineer licensed in the State of Oklahoma. He served as President of the Board of Directors of PRA International located in London, UK until its merger with Pera International in 2009. He now serves on Pera International’s board. He is currently a member of the Ohio Polymer Strategy Council and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices (CMPND), the Ohio BioProducts Innovation Council (OBIC), and CERAMATEC, a privately held advanced materials technology company located in Salt Lake City, UT.

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