The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) announced that Melanie Kalmar, global director Information Systems, has been named chief information officer (CIO). Kalmar’s proven leadership and track record for driving business results positions her well to drive Dow’s vision for leveraging information technology (IT) and analytics, and to further deliver insights and innovation that provide strategic advantage.
As Chief Information Officer for Dow, Kalmar will develop and implement strategy for IT, business process solutions and analytics for Dow. She will also have global responsibility for Cyber Security and Risk Management, Reporting & Advanced Analytics, Facilities Management, and the Dow Services Business, which sells services beyond Dow. Kalmar also chairs the Executive Steering Team which is accountable to provide the overarching vision and corporate priorities, allocate resources and manage overall risk for IT investments.
Kalmar has been involved in spearheading and driving key transformational efforts, including new capabilities that have advanced global reporting, progressed digital strategies and developed eCommerce capabilities.
Kalmar has also been at the epicenter of Dow’s merger & acquisition IT projects, which will continue under her leadership. She led the largest and most complex SAP implementation in the world, and was accountable for launching the information systems required to operate Sadara, the joint venture developed by Dow and Saudi Aramco. Kalmar was also instrumental in developing and leading an organization that combines application IT services with business process expertise and advanced analytics to deliver productivity solutions for Dow‘s businesses and customers.
Kalmar joined Dow in January 1987 in Research Information Systems in Midland, Michigan. In 1990 she moved to the corporate Information Systems group where she held progressive leadership roles across many areas of IT. In 1996, she relocated to open the Southfield, Michigan office, launching the strategic IT partnership between Dow and Accenture. She returned to Midland in 2004.
Kalmar holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. She also completed the Executive Education Program at Babson College and the Thunderbird International Leadership Program in Phoenix, Arizona.