How can cultivating curiosity within an organization transform it from a place of work into a community driven by passion and purpose? Why is wetland conservation crucial for combating climate change, and how can public-private partnerships make a difference? What are the keys to maintaining operational excellence and how can we pursue excellence in our personal and professional lives?

Sam Smolik retired as Senior Vice President, Americas Manufacturing for LyondellBasell Industries in 2017. He previously served as Global Vice President for Environment, Health, and Safety for LyondellBasell, Shell, and The Dow Chemical Company. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Axalta Coating Systems, FlyGuys, and Ducks Unlimited Inc. He also serves on the Engineering Advisory Board at The University of Texas at Austin.

Sam authored The Power of Goal ZEROand The Daily Pursuit of Excellenceto share the many proven performance improvement concepts that he and his colleagues developed and perfected throughout a 50 year global career. His focus is on leadership, people development, culture, operational excellence, management systems, ESG, sustainable development, and achieving superior performance in organizations.

Sam Smolik graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in Houston, Texas.

Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental Solutions
Business & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.