The Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry (API) has presented The Dow Chemical Co. with the first ever Polyurethane Innovation Award. Dow Chemical was recognized for its unique use of polyurethane in Great Stuff™, an insulating foam sealant. The award presentation was made at the Polyurethanes 2005 Technical Conference and Trade Fair in Houston. More than 1,450 industry representatives from 32 countries attended this year's conference, the largest and most important polyurethanes event in the Americas. The conference was sponsored by API. "Dow Chemical's use of polyurethane in a foam sealant that can improve overall building insulation represents the level of innovation that characterizes the polyurethanes industry," said Dick Mericle, executive director of API. "Out of all the entries we received this year, the judges and conferees agreed that Dow's stood out in its understanding and use of polyurethane technology to produce a superior end-use product." Dow Chemical was one of three finalists for the Polyurethane Innovation Award. The other finalists were BASF, for a coil spring isolator assembly that contributes to noise/vibration/harshness reduction in cars, and CardXX, for its smart card line that enhances the electronic capabilities of smart cards.

For more information, visit http://www.polyurethane.org .

DOW AUTOMOTIVE'S PALMIERI NAMED LEADING WOMAN IN AUTO INDUSTRY

Jane Palmieri, vice president of Body Engineered Systems of Dow Automotive, Auburn Hills, MI, has been named to the Automotive News list of 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry. Palmieri joined Dow Automotive in 1995 as an Application Development engineer and has held additional positions in marketing and new business development. Prior to joining Dow Automotive, she was a design engineer for General Motors.

For more information, visit http://www.automotive.dow.com .

IPC SEEKS 2005 HALL OF FAMER; OPENS NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENT'S, COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS

IPC - Association Connecting Electronics Industries® is currently accepting nominations for the awards program taking place at IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit 2006 in Anaheim, Calif.

Nominations must include the name and company of the candidate and a statement describing how the nominee meets award criteria, what the contribution was or why the IPC member deserves recognition. Self-nominations are acceptable and all are confidential. Following are the award categories:

Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award: This award is given to individuals in recognition of the highest level of achievement, extraordinary contributions and distinguished service to IPC. The nominee must support the advancement of the industry, including a spirit of mutual esteem and respect among members consistent with the goals and mission of IPC. This is the highest level of recognition IPC can give to a member and is based on exceptional merit over the long term. The recipient's contributions should have broad significance to the electronic interconnection industry, and this person must be a member of IPC or have been a member at the time of retirement.

President's Award: IPC members who have exhibited ongoing leadership in IPC and have made significant contributions to the association and industry may qualify for this award. Individuals can receive this award only once.

Distinguished Committee Service Award: This award is presented to IPC committee members who have made an exceptional contribution to a specific standard or other IPC program. Any person who is actively involved on an IPC committee is eligible, except members of the IPC board of directors. This award can be given more than once.

Special Recognition Award: This is given to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to an IPC program or to industry. The activity can be short term or a one-time event. This award can also be received more than once.

Nominations must be submitted by December 14, 2005, to Susan Storck, IPC membership and marketing coordinator, at SusanStorck@ipc.org . For additional information, contact Storck by telephone at (847)597-2872.

MAROON NAMES STRICKER ACCOUNT MANAGER FOR EASTERN MICHIGAN

Maroon Inc., Avon, OH, has announced the appointment of Keith Stricker as account manager, Eastern Michigan. Stricker, founder of Stricker Paint, as well as a supplier of raw materials, brings over 27 years of experience in the specialty chemical industry to his new position. He is a past president of the DPCA and is currently active in The Adhesive and Sealant Council.

For more information, visit http://www.marooninc.com .