Chris M. Killian is senior vice president, chief technology and sustainability officer with responsibility for Eastman’s global technology, innovation and sustainability organizations. He leads Eastman’s innovation driven growth strategy to deliver sustainable material solutions to customer and societal needs. Prior to his current position, Killian served as senior vice president and chief technology officer. Killian also serves as the executive sponsor for Connect, the Eastman resource group that promotes the inclusion, development and advancement of African American and Black team members throughout the company.
Killian holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined Eastman in 1996 as a research chemist. During his career at Eastman, he has held various technology and business leadership positions, including director of polymers technology, director of the Tritan growth platform, and vice president of Advanced Materials technology.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Killian and his wife Sharon reside in Johnson City, Tennessee, and have three daughters. He is an inventor on more than 40 U.S. patents, a 2015 ACS Heroes of Chemistry awardee, a member of the American Chemical Society and the UNC at Chapel Hill Chemistry Advisory Board.