Vantage Specialties names new CEO

GURNEE - Vantage Specialties, a manufacturer of specialty ingredients for the personal care, food, consumer care and industrial markets, has named Stephen Doktycz chief executive officer.

Doktycz, who has been serving as interim CEO since October 2019, will also sit on the company's board of directors and is an equity investor alongside H.I.G. Capital, LLC in the company.

Doktycz spent more than 27 years with The Dow Chemical Company in several senior leadership positions, including corporate director, responsible for spearheading the definition, separation, stand-up and sale of Dow's chlorine-related businesses, and Global director, corporate and strategic development. In his globally focused roles in strategic planning, finance, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate development, he led initiatives to improve Dow's business portfolio, deliver long-term business viability, develop emerging markets and form joint ventures.

Most recently, he was a senior advisor to H.I.G. supporting acquisitions, divestitures and portfolio company performance improvement.

Doktycz has a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MBA from Northwestern University and a B.A. in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago.