Ray Kilmer Named Alcoa Chief Technology Officer, Succeeding Mohammad Zaidi


NEW YORK - Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that Dr. Ray Kilmer, currently Vice President, Technology Development and Deployment, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer, succeeding Dr. Mohammad Zaidi, who has elected to retire. Dr. Kilmer will become a member of Alcoa's Executive Council and will be recommended to be elected an officer of the company by Alcoa's Board of Directors.

In his new role, Dr. Kilmer will lead Alcoa's global technology team, building on Dr. Zaidi's work to transform the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC) into an innovation platform and accelerate commercialization of technology developed within Alcoa's businesses.

Dr. Zaidi will retire August 1, after 26 successful years at Alcoa.

"Mohammad is an innovation pioneer whose technological achievements over the past quarter century laid a strong foundation for the future of Alcoa's manufacturing base," said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa Chairman and CEO. "His technology leadership created new applications for aluminum, opening markets and leading to the widespread acknowledgement of aluminum as today's 'miracle metal.

"Today, technology truly is Alcoa's strength. I look forward to working with Ray to drive the use of aluminum into new frontiers that will produce lighter, stronger vehicles, higher-performance electronics, innovative, infinitely recyclable packaging and many other applications that will hugely benefit our customers and their customers."

Joining Alcoa in 1998 as the Manager of the Brazing Sheet Development Factory, Dr. Kilmer held several commercial roles before rising to Global Commercial Director of Alcoa's Automotive Flat Rolled Products business. In Dr. Kilmer's recent assignment as Vice President of Global Rolled Products Technology and Engineering, he led Alcoa's Molten Metal Technology and Rolling Technology Groups, the Product Development Groups, including the Package Technology Group that developed the shaped aluminum bottle; and Coatings Technology Group. Dr. Kilmer also played an instrumental role in the development of Alcoa's Ma'aden joint venture in Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Kilmer holds a Bachelor's Degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University, and a Master's Degree and Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Zaidi joined Alcoa in 1985 as a senior engineer and rose quickly through Alcoa's ranks, leading significant innovations such as the development of the aluminum space frame for the Audi A8 in 1991, and later the Ferrari Modena. In 1998, Dr. Zaidi was appointed Director of Technology for worldwide automotive and extrusions businesses and in 2001 became President of Alcoa Automotive's Fabrication and Assembly business and Chief Operating Officer of Alcoa Automotive Castings, with operations in the U.S. and Europe. Since 2003, Dr. Zaidi has served as Chief Technical Officer, a Vice President of the company, and a member of the Executive Council. In 2006, he earned the rank of Executive Vice President and CTO.

As Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Zaidi spearheaded Alcoa's expansion into new markets such as Defense, Consumer Electronics, and Oil and Gas that today are key growth markets for aluminum, and pioneered multiple breakthrough processes in the aluminum industry. Dr. Zaidi has authored numerous papers and articles in scientific journals and books, and served as chairman of Vision 2050, a project of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Dr. Zaidi is also a past recipient of the Arthur Vining Davis Award.

About Alcoa

Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is the world's leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world's largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa's operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for nine consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 59,000 people in 31 countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.

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