My name is Mary Chervenak and I’m a Senior Technical Service Specialist for Specialty Latex within the Dow Latex Group, based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the United States.
So what is it that I do at Dow? I work closely with Dow people who service our customers to help troubleshoot problems with latex and paint formulations, and I use customer and industry feedback to design new polymers with unique performance properties. And because a can of paint is a mixture of a dozen different chemical compounds, I get to work with others in Dow with expertise in other chemistries.
I love science and as a true science “geek,” I really get a kick out of working for Dow because there are so many interesting science related things happening here each and every day and so much to learn. Dow is the ideal place for me!
I also love to talk about science and how it is helping to improve human life. One of my favorite things about my job is getting to talk to people about the wonders of chemistry and explaining all the great chemistry going on at Dow. Through the company, I’m regularly invited to give demonstrations about chemistry to first graders at the local elementary school. I really love explaining chemistry to kids and getting them excited about science.
I’ve been with Dow for 10 years and the company has been incredibly generous to me. A few years ago, I thought I was going to have to leave my position at Dow because my job had moved to a different location. Instead of accepting my resignation, my supervisor helped to set me up in a virtual office. I've worked virtually for almost six years now. The flexibility and creativity demonstrated by my leaders is a reflection of the type of company Dow is – a company willing to accept challenges, find ways to manage a changing workplace, and look for the best possible solutions to help employees meet professional and personal commitments.
Probably what makes me most proud about working for Dow is the company’s commitment to sustainability. Our planet is brilliantly, ferociously and wonderfully diverse and versatile, but its resources are thinly stretched to meet the needs of more than 6.5 billion people. Without intervention, these resources will eventually run out.
One way my company is helping is by sponsoring the 2007 Blue Planet Run, a 100-day around-the-world relay to raise awareness of the global clean drinking water crisis and seek funding to address the issue.
Today, one in five people on this planet lack access to safe drinking water. Just because you and I are privileged to live a life with clean drinking water doesn’t mean that we can take this priceless resource for granted. That’s why I stepped forward and asked to participate in the run. I’ve always been an avid runner and I’m proud that my company, in addition to sponsoring the event, has selected me and another Dow colleague to participate in the run alongside 18 other runners to help raise awareness of this critical global issue.
I’m so proud to work for a company that is working to address some of the most challenging issues facing humanity. And I’m proud to represent Dow’s commitment to clean water and sustainability as part of the team traveling more than 15,000 miles around the world during the 2007 Blue Planet Run.
