Board Committees

Ruth Dreessen was appointed as a DMC Director in 2020. She has more than 25 years of experience in financial leadership roles, specifically in the chemical industry. She currently serves as independent Chairman of Gevo Inc., a renewable technology, chemical products and advanced biofuels company, where she is also a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee, and she is Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Dreessen has served on the boards of eight public and private companies during her career and has chaired three audit committees. From 2010 to December 2018, Dreessen served as Managing Director of Lion Chemical Partners LLC, a private equity firm focused on chemical and related industries. From 2005 to 2010, she served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TPC Group Inc. Before joining TPC Group, she served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Westlake Chemical Corporation. She spent 21 years at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and predecessor companies, ultimately as a Managing Director of Chemicals Investment Banking. Dreessen received her undergraduate degree from the New College of Florida and holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University.

Simon Bates joined DMC’s Board of Directors in 2024 with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in the building products industry. He previously was CEO of Argos North America, one of the largest U.S. cement and ready-mix concrete producers, from October 2022 to January 2024, when Argos was sold to Summit Materials. He also served as president, CEO and director of GCP Applied Technologies Inc., from October 2020 to October 2022, when the company was acquired by Saint-Gobain. GCP was a leading global provider of construction products, including high-performance specialty construction chemicals and building materials. From April 2017 to October 2020, Mr. Bates served as president of Infrastructure Products Group, a division of CRH plc, a publicly traded manufacturer of building products and materials. Mr. Bates currently serves as a director on the board of U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLCA), a global performance materials company and a leading producer of commercial silica used in the oil and gas industry and in a wide range of industrial applications. Mr. Bates earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of York in England. He also earned post-graduate degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Manchester, and a post-graduate degree in marketing from the University of Salford. 

Ms. Sananikone joined the Board in 2023 with more than 30 years of experience in finance, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and investment management. She previously served as managing director of corporate strategy and development at BT Financial Group, a $50 billion asset management firm that included BT Asset Management, Rothschild Asset Management and Westpac Financial Services. She also served as CEO at Australia-based Aberdeen Asset Management Ltd and Equitilink Group.  She was CEO at Equitilink when it was acquired by Aberdeen, and played a key role in the integration of the two asset management firms.  

Ms. Sananikone currently serves on the boards of IA Financial Group, an insurance group with operations in Canada and the USA; Innergex Renewable Energy, a producer of renewable energy with operations in Canada, the USA, Chile and France; and Gecina, a Paris-based real estate company. 

Ms. Sananikone received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science and a Master of Commerce degree in economics from New South Wales.

Michael Kelly was appointed as a DMC Director in July 2020. He is president of Sentry Hill Partners, LLC, a global life sciences transformation and management consulting business founded by Mr. Kelly in 2018. From 2003 to 2017, he held a variety of senior and executive leadership positions with Amgen Inc., one of the world’s largest independent biotechnology companies. From 2014 to 2017, he was Senior Vice President of Amgen’s Global Business Services division. He twice served as Amgen’s acting CFO, and also was Vice President of Commercial Operations, and Vice President and CFO of Amgen’s International Commercial Operations. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Kelly was CFO of publicly traded TANOX, Inc. He also held financial leadership positions with BIOGEN, Inc., and NutraSweet Kelco Company, a subsidiary of Monsanto Life Sciences. Mr. Kelly is an independent member of the board of directors for publicly traded Hookipa Pharma, Inc., where he also is the audit committee Chairman. He serves on the Council of Advisors and was the former audit committee Chairman for Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization active in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 80 countries. Mr. Kelly received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Florida A&M University.

Simon Bates joined DMC’s Board of Directors in 2024 with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in the building products industry. He previously was CEO of Argos North America, one of the largest U.S. cement and ready-mix concrete producers, from October 2022 to January 2024, when Argos was sold to Summit Materials. He also served as president, CEO and director of GCP Applied Technologies Inc., from October 2020 to October 2022, when the company was acquired by Saint-Gobain. GCP was a leading global provider of construction products, including high-performance specialty construction chemicals and building materials. From April 2017 to October 2020, Mr. Bates served as president of Infrastructure Products Group, a division of CRH plc, a publicly traded manufacturer of building products and materials. Mr. Bates currently serves as a director on the board of U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLCA), a global performance materials company and a leading producer of commercial silica used in the oil and gas industry and in a wide range of industrial applications. Mr. Bates earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of York in England. He also earned post-graduate degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Manchester, and a post-graduate degree in marketing from the University of Salford. 

Ruth Dreessen was appointed as a DMC Director in 2020. She has more than 25 years of experience in financial leadership roles, specifically in the chemical industry. She currently serves as independent Chairman of Gevo Inc., a renewable technology, chemical products and advanced biofuels company, where she is also a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee, and she is Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Dreessen has served on the boards of eight public and private companies during her career and has chaired three audit committees. From 2010 to December 2018, Dreessen served as Managing Director of Lion Chemical Partners LLC, a private equity firm focused on chemical and related industries. From 2005 to 2010, she served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TPC Group Inc. Before joining TPC Group, she served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Westlake Chemical Corporation. She spent 21 years at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and predecessor companies, ultimately as a Managing Director of Chemicals Investment Banking. Dreessen received her undergraduate degree from the New College of Florida and holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University.

Ms. Sananikone joined the Board in 2023 with more than 30 years of experience in finance, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and investment management. She previously served as managing director of corporate strategy and development at BT Financial Group, a $50 billion asset management firm that included BT Asset Management, Rothschild Asset Management and Westpac Financial Services. She also served as CEO at Australia-based Aberdeen Asset Management Ltd and Equitilink Group.  She was CEO at Equitilink when it was acquired by Aberdeen, and played a key role in the integration of the two asset management firms.  

Ms. Sananikone currently serves on the boards of IA Financial Group, an insurance group with operations in Canada and the USA; Innergex Renewable Energy, a producer of renewable energy with operations in Canada, the USA, Chile and France; and Gecina, a Paris-based real estate company. 

Ms. Sananikone received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science and a Master of Commerce degree in economics from New South Wales.

Simon Bates joined DMC’s Board of Directors in 2024 with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in the building products industry. He previously was CEO of Argos North America, one of the largest U.S. cement and ready-mix concrete producers, from October 2022 to January 2024, when Argos was sold to Summit Materials. He also served as president, CEO and director of GCP Applied Technologies Inc., from October 2020 to October 2022, when the company was acquired by Saint-Gobain. GCP was a leading global provider of construction products, including high-performance specialty construction chemicals and building materials. From April 2017 to October 2020, Mr. Bates served as president of Infrastructure Products Group, a division of CRH plc, a publicly traded manufacturer of building products and materials. Mr. Bates currently serves as a director on the board of U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLCA), a global performance materials company and a leading producer of commercial silica used in the oil and gas industry and in a wide range of industrial applications. Mr. Bates earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of York in England. He also earned post-graduate degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Manchester, and a post-graduate degree in marketing from the University of Salford. 

Ruth Dreessen was appointed as a DMC Director in 2020. She has more than 25 years of experience in financial leadership roles, specifically in the chemical industry. She currently serves as independent Chairman of Gevo Inc., a renewable technology, chemical products and advanced biofuels company, where she is also a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee, and she is Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Dreessen has served on the boards of eight public and private companies during her career and has chaired three audit committees. From 2010 to December 2018, Dreessen served as Managing Director of Lion Chemical Partners LLC, a private equity firm focused on chemical and related industries. From 2005 to 2010, she served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TPC Group Inc. Before joining TPC Group, she served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Westlake Chemical Corporation. She spent 21 years at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and predecessor companies, ultimately as a Managing Director of Chemicals Investment Banking. Dreessen received her undergraduate degree from the New College of Florida and holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University.

Michael Kelly was appointed as a DMC Director in July 2020. He is president of Sentry Hill Partners, LLC, a global life sciences transformation and management consulting business founded by Mr. Kelly in 2018. From 2003 to 2017, he held a variety of senior and executive leadership positions with Amgen Inc., one of the world’s largest independent biotechnology companies. From 2014 to 2017, he was Senior Vice President of Amgen’s Global Business Services division. He twice served as Amgen’s acting CFO, and also was Vice President of Commercial Operations, and Vice President and CFO of Amgen’s International Commercial Operations. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Kelly was CFO of publicly traded TANOX, Inc. He also held financial leadership positions with BIOGEN, Inc., and NutraSweet Kelco Company, a subsidiary of Monsanto Life Sciences. Mr. Kelly is an independent member of the board of directors for publicly traded Hookipa Pharma, Inc., where he also is the audit committee Chairman. He serves on the Council of Advisors and was the former audit committee Chairman for Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization active in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 80 countries. Mr. Kelly received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Florida A&M University.

Peter Rose has served as a DMC Director since 2016. He was a Senior Advisor to Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager from 2016 to 2022. From 2007 to 2016, he was a Senior Managing Director with Blackstone and served as its Global Head of Public Affairs. Mr. Rose also spent 20 years with Goldman Sachs, where he was a Managing Director and held a variety of senior positions in government relations and media relations in Washington DC, New York and Hong Kong. Mr. Rose is currently a Senior Adviser to FGS Global, one of the leading strategic communications firms in the world. From 1983 to 1987 he was Chief of Staff to Congressman Mike Synar (D-Okla) and a partner with the law firm of Williams and Jensen in Washington DC. Mr. Rose is a graduate of The George Washington University and The Yale Law School. He serves on the national board of the NAACP, the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States. He is also on the board of the Poetry Society of America.

Michael Kelly was appointed as a DMC Director in July 2020. He is president of Sentry Hill Partners, LLC, a global life sciences transformation and management consulting business founded by Mr. Kelly in 2018. From 2003 to 2017, he held a variety of senior and executive leadership positions with Amgen Inc., one of the world’s largest independent biotechnology companies. From 2014 to 2017, he was Senior Vice President of Amgen’s Global Business Services division. He twice served as Amgen’s acting CFO, and also was Vice President of Commercial Operations, and Vice President and CFO of Amgen’s International Commercial Operations. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Kelly was CFO of publicly traded TANOX, Inc. He also held financial leadership positions with BIOGEN, Inc., and NutraSweet Kelco Company, a subsidiary of Monsanto Life Sciences. Mr. Kelly is an independent member of the board of directors for publicly traded Hookipa Pharma, Inc., where he also is the audit committee Chairman. He serves on the Council of Advisors and was the former audit committee Chairman for Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization active in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 80 countries. Mr. Kelly received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Florida A&M University.

Mr. O’Leary became Interim President and CEO in November 2024. He joined the DMC Board in November 2023 with nearly four decades of executive leadership, finance, capital markets and board-level experience. He has extensive expertise in the construction and industrial manufacturing industries and is on the board of publicly traded Builders FirstSource, Inc., the largest U.S. supplier of building products, prefabricated components and value-added services to the professional market segment for new residential construction and repair and remodeling. He has served as chairman of Kinematics, a global leader in creating motion control solutions for the utility-scale solar, satellite and industrials sectors since 2015; and as a director of privately held ProSource Plumbing Supply, a regional provider of value-added plumbing supplies for high-growth residential markets throughout the Southeast since 2022.

Mr. O’Leary was chairman of publicly traded BMC Stock Holdings, Inc. prior to its merger with Builders FirstSource in 2021. He was also chairman and CEO of Kaydon Corporation, Inc., a leading, publicly traded manufacturer of highly engineered industrial products, which was sold to an industry peer in a successful strategic transaction. He more recently served as chairman and CEO of WireCo, a leading supplier of steel and synthetic rope and electromechanical cable for global energy markets. His experience also includes extensive work as a director and senior advisor at several leading private equity firms.

Mr. O’Leary began his career at Deloitte & Touche LLP, and holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He earned a B.B.A. from Pace University in New York and is a CPA in the state of New York.