FROM JOHN J. PARO, CHAIRMAN & CEO OF THE HALLSTAR COMPANY

I am saddened to share the news that George A. Vincent III, Hallstar’s co-founder and former chairman, president and chief executive officer, has died. He is survived by his wife Andrea, their two sons and three grandchildren.

Since hearing of his passing, I have been reflecting on how much I admired and learned from George. His leadership was integral to the establishment and development of Hallstar, but he also made a profound impact on the Chicago business community, the chemical industry, and on my own personal and professional life.

George had already enjoyed multiple academic and career successes before becoming an original member of The Hallstar Company. He earned a chemistry degree at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire on an ROTC scholarship and then served four years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. After completing an MBA from Harvard University, George took a job at General Electric in their plastics division (which included a stint as Jack Welch’s speechwriter!). Next, he joined FMC Corporation where he worked in corporate development, sourcing, and sales. Our paths crossed when he was manager of the Midwest Region and I came to work for him as a seller.

George left FMC in 1983 to take on the president’s role at a polymer additives distributor. Three years later, I joined him and several others on the management team in forming The Hallstar Company, which in turn purchased the distributor. Hallstar saw positive growth during George’s tenure. He oversaw several key acquisitions, including a personal care ingredient business to complement Hallstar’s innovative ester chemistry. From that first purchase, our company has grown a global beauty and personal care business which continues to innovate.

During his career, George was an active board member of the American Chemistry Council (ACC). He chaired the Chicago Chemical Industry Council (CICI) and the Illinois Manufacturing Association (IMA), and served on several corporate boards including Carus and Nanophase Technologies. He was also passionate about – and quite accomplished at – his extracurricular interests like skiing and sailing.

George’s spirit, his strategic talents and his penchant for ‘thinking big’ were woven into Hallstar’s cultural fabric from the beginning. I spent many late nights with him thinking through the ‘what ifs’ of our company. George was the guy I dreamed big with. We envisioned a great destination for Hallstar and, just as importantly, we enjoyed the journey together. I am grateful for the lessons he taught me and TeamHall about the precious value of that journey. He will be missed.