Harold Sorgenti was an American engineer, businessman and investor, the former president and chief executive officer of ARCO Chemical and a key member of Ennovance Capital. He has served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Harold Sorgenti | |
|---|---|
 Harold Sorgenti, 2004 | |
| Born | May 28, 1934 |
| Died | July 11, 2018 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | American |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
Education
editSorgenti received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from City College of New York and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Ohio State University.[1]
Career
editSorgenti started his career as a scientist for ARCO Chemical company, a subsidiary of Atlantic Richfield, where he developed several U.S. patents that led to the formation of new chemical industrial processes.[2] He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of ARCO Chemical between 1979[3] and 1991,[4] where he headed the transformation of ARCO Chemical that led to splitting the company into two entities: Lyondell Petrochemical (now LyondellBasell) and ARCO Chemical Company.[5]
After serving for ARCO Chemical, he co-founded with Fred Rullo the Freedom Chemical Company,[6] a company that made several lower middle-market acquisitions of specialty chemical companies, which sold to BFGoodrich for $375 million in 1998.[7]
In 2003 Sorgenti received the Petrochemical Heritage Award from the Chemical Heritage Foundation.[8][9]
In 2010, Sorgenti joined Ennovance Capital, a Philadelphia-based private equity firm, as an operating partner.[10]
Sorgenti died on July 11, 2018.[11]
Cultural activities
editIn 1980 Sorgenti joined the board of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and was chairman from 1986[1] to 1993.[12] From 2005 to 2009 he served as chairman of the Philadelphia Orchestra.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "Sorgenti elected chairman of Academy of the Fine Arts" (fee required). The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 30, 1986. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Patent Searching Database". freepatentsonline.com. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Harold Sorgenti, a civic hard-charger is honored" (fee required). The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 22, 1985. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "ARCO Chemical chief Sorgenti plans to retire". The Oil Daily. January 23, 1991. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ Spitz, Peter H. (2003). The chemical industry at the millennium: maturity, restructuring, and globalization. Chemical Heritage Foundation. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-941901-34-5.
- ^ "New venture for retired ARCO CEO". The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 7, 1992. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ Brickley, Peg (July 10, 1998). "Heavy hitters launch new trust firm". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Sorgenti wins Heritage award". ICIS Chemical Business. Reed Business Information. March 24, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Petrochemical Heritage Award". Science History Institute. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
- ^ |Harold A. Sorgenti|http://www.ennovance.com/index_files/Page3776.htm Archived 2010-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cook, Bonnie L. "Harold A. Sorgenti, 84, Philly business and civic leader". philly.com.
- ^ "Service Rendered to the Great Cause of Art" (PDF). Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 22, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Philadelphia Orchestra's chairman steps down early". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 27, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2010.