Charles O. Holliday, Jr.
Chairman, National Academy of Engineering
Education
- B.S. 1970 Industrial Engineering, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
After graduation, Chad Holliday began working for DuPont in his hometown of Nashville. In 1974, he transferred to DuPont headquarters in Delaware as a business analyst in the Fibers Department. Throughout the mid- to late-1980s, he spent time as manager of Corporate Plans, global business director for Nomex and Kevlar, and became director of marketing for Chemicals and Pigments. He continued his assent within DuPont throughout the 1990s, serving as vice president, president, senior vice president, and eventually, chairman of DuPont Asia Pacific. In 1996, he was named one of “Tomorrow’s CEOs” by Fortune.
In 1998, he was appointed CEO of DuPont, the largest chemical company in the United States. He became the 18th executive of the over 200 year-old company and the youngest during the 20th century. A year later, he became chairman of the board. Through Holliday’s leadership, DuPont established a mission to achieve sustainable growth – increasing shareholder and societal value while decreasing the company’s environmental footprint. As a result, DuPont has moved from a chemical company to a science-based products and services company. In 2009, he retired from his role as CEO of DuPont.
He has received the U.S. Council for International Business’ International Leadership Award and the CH2M HILL’s Building a Better World Award. In 2002, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council. In 2004, the ASM International Materials Information Society honored him for Advancement of Research. In 2007, he received the Captains of Industry Award from the Institute of Industrial Engineers. He has also received honorary doctorates from Washington College in Maryland and from the Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, New York.
Holliday served as co-chair on the UT Tickle College of Engineering’s Campaign Executive Committee and continues to play an active role at UT. In 2008, he was the first recipient of the UT Volunteer of the Year-Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award was established to honor alumni who have excelled at the national and international level, whose achievements have benefited their fellow citizens, and who have brought great credit to the University of Tennessee.
Holliday serves on the board of directors of Deere & Co., CH2MHILL, ClimateWorks Foundation, and is Chair Emeritus on Catalyst’s board of directors. He is a member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering. In addition, he is a founding member of the International Business Council.