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Greg Babe inducted into the University's Academy of Distinguished Alumni

The West Virginia University Alumni Association inducted three new members into the WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni on Friday, February 6, in the Ruby Grand Hall of the new Erickson Alumni Center.

The new inductees include Dr. Nancy Nielsen, president of the American Medical Association and senior associate dean of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Scott Widmeyer, chairman and CEO of Widmeyer Communications; and our College's own Greg Babe, president and chief executive officer of Bayer Corp. and Bayer MaterialScience LLC.

Babe, originally from New Martinsburg, received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from WVU in 1980. As a student, he served as president of Tau Beta Pi and was a member of Pi Tau Sigma. He was also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and served on several student committees.

Babe was appointed president and CEO of Bayer Corp. in October 2008. He also serves as Bayer's senior representative for the United States and Canada. In this role, Babe is responsible for the North American activities of the worldwide Bayer Group, an international health care, nutrition and innovative materials group based in Germany. He also serves as president and CEO of Bayer MaterialScience LLC, a position he has held since July 2004.

Previously, Babe was president and CEO of Bayer Corporate and Business Services, where he was responsible for providing expertise and support in engineering, information systems, procurement, materials management, human resources, financial, accounting and other business services to Bayer Corp. and its affiliates.

Babe joined Bayer in 1976 as a student intern in the Polyurethanes Group. During his 30-plus years with the company, he has held several management positions, including manager of the facility in Brunsbuttel, Germany; director and general manager of Hennecke Machinery, then a unit of Bayer's Polymers Division in Pennsylvania; vice president of corporate quality; and director of a national program to implement Bayer's enterprise resource planning system. He was named senior vice president of information services in 1999, and in 2001, a role that was expanded to include the North American Free Trade Agreement region. When Babe was named president and CEO of Bayer Corporate and Business Services, he continued his role as chief information officer.

Babe is chair of the Bayer Political Action Committee. For five years, he served as the executive sponsor of the Bayer Diversity Advisory Council.

In addition to his duties with Bayer, Babe is a member of the American Chemistry Council's executive committee and board of directors as well as chairman of its Board Science and Research Committee. In Pittsburgh, he is a member of the executive committee and board of directors at Duquesne University, serving as vice chair of audit and finance.

Babe remains actively involved with his alma mater, serving on the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources advisory committee. He and his wife, Carla, live in Mount Lebanon, Pennslyvania, and have four children.

To view of video interview with Greg Babe and the other inductees, visit wvutoday.wvu.edu/news/page/7445/.

02/10/2009