Max Lewis began his career in Ponca City, Oklahoma, as a Research Engineer with Conoco Inc. in their Chemicals Division. However, Conoco Inc. was subsequently acquired by DuPont, and in 1987, Max transferred to DuPont’s Johnsonville, Tennessee TiO2 plant where he was responsible for pigment finishing technology and product quality. He later transferred to Wilmington, Delaware where he was responsible for DuPont’s TiO2 product development and sales technical service functions for the coatings segment. Max subsequently assumed a marketing role at DuPont, where he led the global TiO2 market assessment and planning process which analyzed DuPont’s competitive position in the market place and proposed guidelines for achieving greater growth of TiO2 pigment into international markets.
Max left his marketing management position at DuPont and joined Sherwin-Williams as Director of Applied Research but was soon thereafter appointed Vice President – R&D supporting the long-term research, new product development, and product commercialization efforts for the domestic US divisions serving the architectural market segments which distributed product through paint stores, retailers, dealers, home centers, and big box outlets. In January 2008, Max was appointed Vice President – Global Innovation for The Sherwin-Williams Company responsible for corporate TiO2 development ventures and for leveraging the company’s research & development, manufacturing technology, and technical service capabilities into international markets.
Max retired from The Sherwin-Williams Company in 2014 and assumed an entrepreneurial role for the University of Akron Research Foundation commercializing innovative technologies. In addition, Max started accepting TiO2 consulting assignments for selected TiO2 manufacturers and end-users relating to new product development, process improvement, and product quality.
Max served as President of the Board of Directors of the Paint Research Association (PRA) located in London, UK until its merger with Pera International in 2009. He subsequently served on Pera International’s board until the end of 2017. While working for Sherwin-Williams, Max was as a member of the Ohio Polymer Strategy Council and on the Board of Advisors for the Ohio BioProducts Innovation Council (OBIC). Max still serves on the Advancement Council for the College of Business at the University of Akron.
Max earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he graduated Valedictorian of the College of Engineering and Technology. Max later earned an MBA degree from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma.