Industrial Research Institute Announces Joseph W. Raksis, Senior Vice President, Research & New Market Development of Flint Ink as Chairman for 2003-2004

IRI Announces Succession of Leaders and Newly Elected Board Members. Joseph W. Raksis, Senior Vice President, Research & New Market Development of Flint Ink is Chairman for 2003-2004. Members Elect Susan M. Gaud, Senior Director Kraft Foods R&D As Vice Chairman And Elect New Directors from Boeing, BP, Illinois Tool Works, Praxair, Toyota.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 24, 2003 -- The Industrial Research Institute (IRI), the foremost organization of senior research and development executives working together to enhance the effectiveness of technological innovation, announced today the succession of leaders and newly elected members of its board of directors. Joseph W. Raksis, Senior Vice President, Research and New Market Development, Flint Ink Corporation becomes Chairman for 2003-2004, succeeding Don Mueller, Vice President of Research and Technology Innovation, Ashland, Inc. Miles P. Drake, Vice President and CTO, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. becomes Chairman-Elect. Susan M. Gaud, Senior Director, Kraft Foods R&D, Kraft Foods North America is the newly elected Vice Chairman. Board leaders serve a term of four years as vice chairman, chairman-elect, chairman and past chairman.

Dr. Raksis is responsible for corporate R&D, marketing, strategic planning, and a new digital printing business at Flint Ink. He joined Flint Ink in 1997 as Vice President, R&D. Previously he was Vice President, Organic and Polymer Research, with W.R. Grace & Company, and held research management and technical positions with the Dow Chemical Company. Dr. Raksis currently serves as Secretary and Board of Directors member for the National Printing Ink Research Institute; Co-Chair of the Printing Advisory Committee for Western Michigan University; and has served as director of numerous community service organizations. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry from Wilkes University, attended graduate school at Pennsylvania State University, and received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Irvine, where he was a National Science Foundation Co-Operative Fellow.

Five new directors have also been elected to the IRIs Board: Steven L. Lerner, Senior Vice President & CTO, Praxair; Richard R. Paul, Vice President of Strategic Development & Analysis, Boeing Phantom Works; Harold R. Penton, Business Technology Manager, BP; Lee A. Sheridan, Vice President, R&D, Illinois Tool Works; and Riichi Takahashi, President & COO, Toyota Central R&D Labs. This years Board of Directors will be critical in representing the memberships needs and guiding the development of future programs to provide continuing value. We are pleased to have such accomplished individuals from diverse and prominent member companies to lead the organization," said IRI President, F. M. Ross Armbrecht.

About The Industrial Research Institute
The Industrial Research Institute (IRI) is the foremost business association of leaders in research and development (R&D) working together to enhance the effectiveness of technological innovation in industry. Founded in 1938 through the National Research Council, the IRI is comprised of senior executives from a diverse range of industries whose member companies are investing over $70 billion annually in R&D worldwide. The IRI is the only cross-industry organization providing the R&D community with insights, solutions and best practices in innovation management developed through collaborative knowledge creation. For more information, call 202-296-8811 or visit the organizations Web site at www.iriinc.org.