Distinguished Chevron Fellow Jim McGeehan Retires – Chevron Brand, Technology & OEM Team Moving Delo® Leadership Into the Future

SAN RAMON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Chevron Products Company, a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. division, today announced that after 39 years of service, James (Jim) McGeehan, Consulting Scientist for Delo^® Heavy Duty Engine Oils has elected to retire from Chevron effective June 30, 2015.

Jim began his career with Chevron in 1976 as a Research Engineer in Chevron Research Company. During his tenure, he has served as the Global Manager of Diesel Engine Oil Technology and was responsible for all global heavy-duty engine oil development and coordinating all diesel engine programs for Chevron's lubricants businesses. He led the team responsible for the successful development of Chevron Delo 400, which is now a global product meeting worldwide requirements. Jim and his extended formulating team were recently honored by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for an Award for Research on Automotive Lubricants for the best technical paper related to the Adaption of Lubricants, Lubricated Automotive Systems or Components - SAE Paper 2012-01-1709 (published 2012) in April 2014.

"I would like to thank Jim for his dedication, passion and many contributions and mentorship to our company, personnel and industry over the past four decades. He has been a leader in our Lubricants Formulating Team and has set a high standard for all of us to follow into the future" said Brian Stripling, General Manager Brand, Technology & Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Chevron Products Company.

A member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in the UK since 1971, appointed a SAE Fellow in 1989 and a Chevron Fellow in 2002, over the past 20 years, Jim has trained Chevron marketers and new employees on benefits of Delo 400 technology. As a Chevron Fellow he has provided mentoring, including the development of skills for delivering technical presentations. He also served as Chairman of the ASTM Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Classification Panel since 1987, and he and his team have been responsible for establishing progressively improved Heavy Duty Motor oil categories that helped increase engine durability and reduce emissions. He successfully led the introduction of seven categories from API CE through CJ-4 and in 2002 was selected "Person of the Year" by Lubricants World Publication. He has also been involved in final development of the Proposed Category 11 (PC-11) requirements that license on December 1^st, 2016.

"Jim's passion and visionary outlook for developing Chevron Heavy Duty Engine oils was key to elevating Chevron's Delo Brand to a top tier category performer over the years and we are indebted to his efforts in developing Delo's superb reputation," said Leonard J. Badal, Jr, Chevron's Global Commercial Brands Manager.

The Delo Heavy Duty Engine Oil Brand will be well served from Jim's mentorship of a larger brand, technology and OEM team targeting additional growth of Delo Products into the marketplace for the future.

Leonard J. Badal Jr. – Global Commercial Brands Manager:

Leonard Badal has worked over 25 years in the lubricants business in sales, product line, training, and solutions focus with over 14 years with Chevron. He is Chevron's Global Commercial Brands Manager overseeing the Delo Brand and product line strategy for Heavy Engine Oils, Coolants, Greases, and Automotive Gear Oils within Chevron's global family of lubricants brands. Leonard and his team launched the current "Delo. Let's Go Further" campaign to highlight Delo's Premium Family of Products performance to allow customers to drive their business and equipment farther. He has developed and led Chevron's HDMO and Driveline strategy into low viscosity leadership with the launch of several key fuel efficient products including:

Delo 400 XLE Synblend SAE 10W-30
Delo 400 LE Synthetic SAE 5W-30
Delo Gold Ultra Synthetic Blend SAE 10W-30
Delo Syn-Trans XV SAE 75W-80

He is currently the project lead for Chevron's Delo PC-11 product development and launch into the North American, European, Africa & Middle East, and Asia Pacific Markets for the future.

Shawn Whitacre – Senior Staff Engineer, Technology (Jim McGeehan's direct replacement):

Shawn's career spans nearly 20 years focused exclusively on research and engineering dealing with heavy-duty engine lubricants, fuels, and materials. Before joining Chevron in 2013, he spent 12 years leading global fluids and materials engineering activities for Cummins. He also spent five years conducting lubricant, fuel, and emission research for the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO. At Chevron, he is a Senior Staff Engineer primarily responsible for product formulation of the Delo Brand of Heavy Duty Engine Oils. He is currently the lead formulator responsible for development of Chevron's PC-11 product line upgrade.

Steve Stults – Global Engine Oil Technology Manager:

During his 26 years working in the lubricant additives and finished lubricants industry, Steve's career has focused on Research and Development of Lubricant Additives, Additive Packages and Finished Lubricants for Engine Oils. Steve's entire career has been with Chevron where he has held positions of increasing responsibility in Engine Oil/Additives Product Development and Formulating, Product Qualification and Approval and customer technical support. In his current role, Steve is Chevron Lubricant's Manager of Engine Oil Technology responsible for product development of Chevron's Heavy Duty, Passenger Car, Motorcycle, Gas Engine and Railroad Engine Oils globally.

Steve received a Chevron Chairman's Award in 1995 for the development of Oronite's OLOA 9000/9100 Series Additive Technology and a Chevron President's Award in 2004 for the formulation development and qualification of Delo 400 Multigrade SAE 15W-40.

Melanie Tobias – Staff Engineer, Technology:

Melanie Tobias has more than 26 years of experience working in the lubricants and additives business, including 5 years with Chevron. She has experience in engine testing, field testing, formulating and product development. She is a Product Development Engineer of Heavy Duty Engine Oils, Gas Engine Oils, Inland Marine and Railroad Engine Oils in Chevron Lubricants.

Melanie is a 26 year member of Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and a 5 year member of SAE Engine Oil Viscosity Classification (EOVC) and Fuels and Lubricants TC 1 Engine Lubrication Committee. She has authored 4 patents related to lubricating oil compositions for natural gas and railroad.

Keith Shaw – OEM Technical Manager:

Keith D. Shaw is the OEM Technical Manager at Chevron in San Ramon, CA and has over 28 years of experience in industrial lubricants and lubrication programs with both Chevron and Castrol Industrial. He currently leads the OEM technical team that develops and executes the Chevron OEM strategy supporting Chevron product and brand development as well as overseeing the OEM approval process of Chevron, Caltex, and Texaco lubricants. Keith joined Chevron in 1997 and has held a variety of lubricants assignments of increasing responsibility in North America Sales, South Africa Sales Management, and Industrial and Marine Global Product Management, and most recently was Manager of the China Project where his team devised an effective Strategic Network Plan to expand the Chevron marketer portfolio in support of our China growth strategy.

Keith was the developing founder of Chevron's Reliability-based Lubrication (RbL™) Program that has been globally deployed to customers in the transportation, manufacturing, construction, mining, oil and gas, and marine segments. This program leverages Chevron's global network of subject matter experts to share best practices to help customers improve asset utilization and resource allocation, lubrication cost management and meet health, environment and safety standards.

About Chevron Products Company

Chevron Products Company is a division of an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation CVX headquartered in San Ramon, CA. A full line of lubrication and coolant products are marketed through this organization. Select brands include Havoline^®, Delo^® and Havoline Xpress Lube^®. Chevron Intellectual Property LLC owns patented technology in advanced lubricants products, new generation base oil technology and coolants.

For more information go to: www.ChevronLubricants.com