James Chao

Mr. Chao has been our Chairman of the Board since July 2004 and became a director in June 2003. From May 1996 to July 2004, he served as our Vice Chairman of the Board. Mr. Chao also has responsibility for the oversight of our Vinyls business. Mr. Chao has over 35 years of international experience in the chemical industry. In June 2003, he was named Chairman of Titan Chemicals Corp. Bhd and previously served as Titan's Managing Director. He has served as a Special Assistant to the Chairman of China General Plastics Group and worked in various financial, managerial and technical positions at Mattel Incorporated, Developmental Bank of Singapore, Singapore Gulf Plastics Pte. Ltd. and Gulf Oil Corporation. Mr. Chao, along with his brother Albert Chao, assisted their father T.T. Chao in founding Westlake and served as Westlake's first president from 1985 to 1996. Mr. Chao received his Bachelor of Science degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.