Scott K. Purnell, Ph.D., is a globally respected executive, accomplished board leader, and technology innovator whose career spans more than three decades at the intersection of chemical manufacturing, energy, refining technologies, advanced materials, and business leadership. Throughout his distinguished professional journey, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to bridge highly technical disciplines with strategic business execution, creating lasting value for organizations, shareholders, employees, and customers worldwide. Today, as President and Chief Executive Officer of HighT-Tech Inc., Scott continues to apply his extensive expertise to the commercialization of breakthrough catalyst and materials technologies, helping shape the future of industrial innovation.
Born with a passion for science, engineering, and problem-solving, Scott’s professional foundation was built through academic excellence and an unwavering curiosity about how technology can improve industries and societies. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University, graduating with Highest Distinction. He then pursued a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware, where his research focused on heterogeneous catalysis under the guidance of renowned professor Bruce C. Gates. This combination of technical rigor and intellectual discipline established the framework for a career defined by innovation, leadership, and measurable impact.
Scott began his professional career with W. R. Grace & Co. in 1993, joining one of the world’s most respected specialty chemicals companies. During the early years of his tenure, he served in engineering, research, development, and technical support roles, where he gained firsthand experience developing and commercializing products for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) applications. His work not only contributed to the advancement of catalyst technologies but also generated significant operational savings through manufacturing improvements and process optimization initiatives. These experiences provided him with a comprehensive understanding of both the scientific and commercial dimensions of the chemical industry.
As his career progressed, Scott transitioned into marketing and business leadership roles, demonstrating an exceptional ability to translate technical innovation into market success. He quickly established himself as a strategic thinker capable of identifying emerging opportunities, understanding customer needs, and aligning product development efforts with long-term business objectives. His leadership within global marketing organizations helped drive growth across multiple product lines while strengthening customer relationships and enhancing competitive positioning in complex international markets.
Scott’s reputation as a transformational leader continued to grow as he assumed increasingly significant responsibilities within W. R. Grace. As General Manager for North America, he led sales and technical service organizations responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Under his leadership, the business successfully expanded market share while implementing strategic pricing initiatives designed to protect profitability and create sustainable growth. His ability to align commercial teams around common objectives while maintaining a strong customer focus became a hallmark of his leadership style.
One of the defining chapters of Scott’s career came through his leadership of Advanced Refining Technologies LLC (ART), the highly successful joint venture between W. R. Grace and Chevron. Serving as Managing Director and chief executive of the organization for multiple terms, Scott oversaw all aspects of the global hydroprocessing catalyst business. Reporting directly to the board of directors, he guided the organization through periods of both expansion and transformation, successfully balancing the interests of multiple stakeholders while driving financial performance and operational excellence. His leadership resulted in significant growth opportunities, major manufacturing investments, improved partnership structures, and expanded market access across key global regions.
Throughout his years at ART, Scott developed a reputation as a skilled negotiator and strategic dealmaker. He successfully negotiated complex joint venture agreements, manufacturing partnerships, profit-sharing arrangements, and international commercial contracts. These experiences strengthened his expertise in governance, stakeholder management, and cross-cultural business leadership. His ability to navigate intricate business environments while maintaining trust among partners has been instrumental in his success across both public and private sector organizations.
In 2015, Scott was appointed Vice President of Marketing for Refining Technologies at W. R. Grace, where he led strategy, pricing, product portfolio management, and innovation commercialization for a business generating approximately $900 million in annual revenue. His leadership helped maximize profitability while ensuring the organization remained focused on delivering differentiated value to customers. By closely integrating marketing, sales, and product development functions, he helped establish a sustainable framework for growth that strengthened both market position and long-term competitive advantage.
Scott later assumed the role of Vice President of Research and Development for Refining Technologies, where he led innovation initiatives supporting Grace’s global catalyst businesses. In this role, he championed the integration of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence into research and development processes, accelerating innovation and improving organizational efficiency. Recognizing that innovation must ultimately serve customer needs, he cultivated strong partnerships between R&D, sales, and marketing teams to ensure that new technologies addressed validated market opportunities and generated measurable business value.
In addition to his corporate leadership accomplishments, Scott has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to governance and board service. He served for more than eleven years on the Board of Directors of Kuwait Catalyst Company, providing oversight and strategic guidance within a complex international business environment. His extensive board experience has given him valuable insight into corporate governance, risk management, strategic planning, executive leadership, and stakeholder accountability. These experiences have further strengthened his ability to provide objective guidance and strategic counsel to organizations navigating growth and transformation.
Today, as CEO of HighT-Tech Inc., Scott is leading an early-stage technology company focused on advanced manufacturing techniques and innovative catalyst and materials solutions. This role has expanded his perspective beyond large corporate environments and into the entrepreneurial ecosystem, where agility, innovation, fundraising, commercialization, and growth execution are critical success factors. By combining Fortune 500 executive leadership with startup experience, Scott brings a uniquely balanced perspective that enables him to advise organizations across various stages of development.
Beyond his professional achievements, Scott remains deeply committed to education, scientific advancement, and community engagement. He serves as a Trustee of the Maryland Science Center and as a member of the Industrial and Professional Advisory Council for Penn State University’s College of Engineering. Through these roles, he actively supports the development of future generations of engineers, scientists, and business leaders. His commitment to mentorship, lifelong learning, and community service reflects a leadership philosophy grounded in stewardship and long-term impact.
Throughout his career, Scott has consistently demonstrated that exceptional leadership is built upon technical excellence, strategic thinking, integrity, and the ability to inspire others toward a common purpose. His extensive global experience across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Japan, and North America has provided him with a broad perspective on business, culture, and leadership. Whether leading multinational organizations, negotiating strategic partnerships, developing breakthrough technologies, or guiding emerging companies, Scott remains focused on creating sustainable value through innovation, collaboration, and disciplined execution.
Character:
Scott is widely recognized as a leader who operates with integrity, professionalism, and accountability in every aspect of his work. He consistently places the long-term success of organizations and stakeholders above short-term interests. His commitment to ethical leadership has earned the trust of colleagues, partners, customers, and board members throughout his career.
Knowledge:
He possesses a rare combination of deep technical expertise and sophisticated business acumen developed through more than thirty years of executive leadership. His understanding of chemical engineering, catalysts, refining technologies, commercialization, and corporate strategy allows him to solve complex challenges from multiple perspectives. He continuously seeks new knowledge and embraces emerging technologies to drive innovation and organizational growth.
Strategic:
Scott has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to identify opportunities, anticipate market changes, and develop strategies that create sustainable competitive advantages. His leadership of billion-dollar businesses, international joint ventures, and emerging technology companies reflects a disciplined approach to long-term value creation. He excels at transforming vision into executable plans that generate measurable results.
Communication:
An effective communicator who builds alignment across diverse stakeholder groups through clarity, transparency, and thoughtful engagement. He has extensive experience presenting to boards of directors, investors, customers, industry organizations, and executive leadership teams around the world. His ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable business insights makes him an influential leader and trusted advisor.
