LORD Award for Innovation Goes to Frank J. Krakowski

August 23, 2010 | Story by: Lindsey Chester | Categories: Business, Featured, News

Frank J.Krakowski with his award and LORD Corp CEO Richard McNeel

Cary, NC – LORD Corporation, who we covered in our first Hidden Giants story,  has announced the 2010 winner of the Donald M. Alstadt Technology Innovation Award. Frank J. Krakowski, Senior Staff Scientist, Materials & Process Development, was selected as this year’s worthy recipient.

Established in 2006 to recognize innovative technological achievements that have led to successful commercialization of projects within the last five to eight years, this year’s winner was honored for his work with elastomers (colloquially: rubber) for industrial products and fixed-wing aircraft systems. According to Lane Miller, LORD Vice President, Global Technology, Krakowski has consistently demonstrated leadership and enthusiasm in developing new material solutions and support for LORD Corporation’s supply chain.

“Frank is receiving the award this year for his exceptional leadership and critical contributions in developing a new elastomer with low damping and high fatigue, in part derived from three dimensional cross-linking…It is one of many elastomer solutions that he has developed over his career. Frank serves as an excellent role model for all engineers and scientists at LORD and is motivated by an unselfish passion to share his knowledge and experience, so that others may one day create innovations of this magnitude,” said Miller.

Krakowski’s Background

Having been with LORD for 28 years, Krakowski works in the Materials & Process Development department. He also has more than 35 years experience within the industry and specializes in formulating elastomers for specific mechanical and dynamic properties applicable to diverse aerospace, defense and industrial environments and applications. Krakowski also works closely with LORD Corporation’s supply chain organization and manufacturing plants to assure that the global supply of natural rubber is consistently available.

An active member of the American Chemical Society and Rubber Division, Krakowski has authored, co-authored and presented numerous technical papers, many of which have been published in trade journals. He currently holds five U.S. Patents with several other still pending.

About the Award

This award honors Donald M. Alstadt, the late Chairman Emeritus, who joined LORD in 1943 as a developmental engineer and rose to Chairman and CEO in 1982. He is remembered worldwide for his expertise in rubber-to-metal adhesion; the physics and chemistry of surfaces and solid state molecular structures, entrepreneurial leadership and management; and foremost, product innovation.

He is credited as the inventor of LORD Chemlok® adhesives, which became the foundation of LORD Corporation’s successful global chemical business. Alstadt passed away Feb. 19, 2007.