COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb.27, 2007 – Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) has announced the appointment of Dennis Ramsey as site manager for the company's South Carolina Operations effective March 5, 2007. Eastman's South Carolina Operations is the world’s largest manufacturer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers for packaging.

Ramsey is currently special projects director at the South Carolina site. In his new assignment, he will report to Barry Falin, vice president of Global Manufacturing, Performance Polymers. "Dennis is an energetic leader and innovator," said Falin. "He is well-equipped for this new appointment." Ramsey replaces Mike Newman, who retired from the position last year.

Ramsey began his career with Eastman in 1985 as a development engineer at Eastman's Texas Operations in Longview, Texas. Since then he has worked in a wide range of manufacturing assignments. In 1995, he was promoted to assistant superintendent of Longview's Polyethyene 3 Department. In 1999, he was appointed site manager of Lawter International Incorporated, an Eastman Chemical Company acquisition in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. A year later, he was promoted to director of North America Manufacturing responsible for Lawter International Incorporated's domestic sites. In 2001, Ramsey returned to Eastman's Longview, Texas, site as assistant superintendent of the Polyethylene Division. In 2004, he was assigned to Eastman's Columbia, South Carolina, site as director of special projects. In that role, Ramsey was responsible for the start-up and operations of Eastman's new IntegRex facility.

Ramsey, 44, received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering in 1984 from the University of Arkansas. A native of Berkeley, California, Ramsey is a past member of Rotary and has done volunteer work for Angel Flight, an aviation network that transports underprivileged sick children to hospitals for treatment.