Paul Oreffice

Paul F. Oreffice, who as the pugnacious head of Dow Chemical grew and diversified the company at the same time that he rebuffed Vietnam veterans over Agent Orange, argued that the chemical dioxin was harmless and oversaw the manufacturing of silicone breast implants that were known to leak, died on Dec. 26 2024 at his home in Paradise Valley, Ariz. He was 97. Paul Oreffice was born in Venice, Italy in 1927. In 1940 he moved with his family to Quito, Ecuador and in 1945 came to the United States going directly to Purdue University where he graduated in February 1949 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. After two years in the United States Army, Paul joined The Dow Chemical Company in February 1953. After a variety of international and management assignments, he became the President and CEO of the company in April 1978 and later became Chairman of the Board. He retired in December 1992. Paul has served on the boards of CIGNA, Coca Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Nortel and is currently the Chairman of Fairfield Homes and on the board of Spirit Finance Corporation. He is also the Chairman of The National Parkinson Foundation and on the visiting board of MD Anderson Cancer Center. He lived in paradise Valley, AZ, Lake Tahoe, NV, and Saratoga Springs, NY. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Jo Ann Pepper Oreffice; his children, Laura Jennison and Andy Oreffice; six grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.