24-03-2024

Karen McKee named 2024 petrochemical heritage award recipient

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) is pleased to announce ExxonMobil’s Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company, as the 2024 Petrochemical Heritage Award recipient for her outstanding contributions to the petrochemical community. McKee received the award today, March 25 during the International Petrochemical Conference in San Antonio, Texas hosted by AFPM.

“This award reflects the extraordinary achievements of the talented employees at ExxonMobil who push for excellence every day. I am confident that our next generation of leaders will continue to pioneer new technologies and develop even greater products that will further improve living standards for societies around the world.” — Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company

Chet Thompson, AFPM president and CEO issued the following statement commending McKee on her accomplishments:  

“Being named this year’s Petrochemical Heritage Award recipient is a testament to Karen’s leadership and ingenuity. Throughout our industry, Karen is recognized as one of the best business minds and someone who reliably delivers results in constantly evolving markets. Her strategic vision and ability to see beyond the next corner is certainly helping to propel ExxonMobil’s global work and ever-broadening suite of sustainable products and patented innovations. We applaud Karen for her substantial contributions to our industry and congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition. She rightfully joins a long list of petrochemical industry greats, and her work and legacy in our sector—and on behalf of consumers—is far from over.”

Acclaimed as a skilled pioneer and business leader, Karen is the first woman to receive the Petrochemical Heritage Award. In her near 34-year career with ExxonMobil spanning multiple continents, McKee has overseen the combination of ExxonMobil's downstream and chemicals operations into a single Product Solutions business, led refinery expansions and a series of North American chemical growth projects. All the while, she’s worked to increase community engagement, led several multi-million-dollar ExxonMobil giving campaigns and advance the company’s effectiveness in service to customers.

McKee is recognized throughout the petrochemical industry and has held leadership posts in trade associations, including currently serving as president of the International Council of Chemical Associations. She previously served on the executive committee for the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, working on behalf of petrochemical producers and brands to advance policy promoting circularity, sustainability and responsible care. Additionally, McKee has been a leading voice for the industry in the recent United Nations negotiations of a global agreement on plastic pollution, championing the need to develop policies that enable a circular economy for plastics.

Presented annually by AFPM, the Science History Institute and the Founders Club, the Petrochemical Heritage Award recognizes individuals who have displayed significant entrepreneurship in the petrochemical profession, contributed to better public understanding of this critical industry and been active in philanthropic and communal affairs. Established in 1997, this award encourages emulation, inspires achievement and promotes public understanding of modern science, industries and economies.