LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced today that its board of directors has elected John L. (Jack) Hurst III executive vice president. Hurst was recently appointed President of Occidental Chemical Corporation (OxyChem), a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation that is a leading North American manufacturer and marketer of basic chemicals, vinyls and specialty products.
Hurst joined OxyChem in 1978 and served as plant manager in Taft, Louisiana until 1981 when he was named senior vice president of manufacturing and engineering for OxyChem's industrial and specialty chemical operations. From 1988 - 1999, Hurst served as executive vice president - manufacturing of the combined electrochemicals and specialty products business. He was promoted to chief executive officer of Oxy Vinyls LP in 1999 when OxyChem formed the joint venture with the Geon Company. In 2000, Hurst was named executive vice president of OxyChem's Basic Chemicals unit, and from 2001 until assuming his current position as OxyChem President last month, he served as executive vice president of the company's Chlorovinyls group, with global responsibility for all chlor-alkali businesses, including chlorine, caustic soda, ethylene dichloride and potassium chemicals as well as PVC and vinyl chloride.
Hurst serves on the board of directors and executive committees of the American Chemistry Council, American Plastics Council and the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Dickinson College.