Stephen F. Kirk
Following his retirement from Lubrizol in December 2011, Steve Kirk joined Cleveland State University as Executive in Residence in the Monte Ahuja College of Business. In this volunteer role he works primarily with the Executive MBA program as Leadership Coach and helps prepare students in the program for senior level leadership and executive positions.
Steve enjoyed a 43-year career at Lubrizol, a global $6 billion Fortune 500 Company. He was elected Chief Operating Officer in 2008, leading over 6,500 people, half of them overseas and half working in the United States (with ~2,000 in the Greater Cleveland area). Prior to that, he served as President of Lubrizol Additives. He joined LZ as a co-op/intern in 1968 and full time in 1972, and enjoyed roles in engineering, sales and marketing until being elected Corporate Vice President in 1993. Lubrizol was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2011.
Steve is currently serving as Chairman of the Board of Valvoline, Inc (VVV, NYSE), and is also on the Board of Chemtron,Inc, a privately owned supplier of Environmental Services. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Robbins & Myers (NYSE), a supplier of equipment and systems for global energy and industrial markets from 2006 until its sale to National Oilwell Varco (NOV) in 2013; Ashland, Inc. (NYSE) from 2013 to 2018; and ICM, Inc., a Private Equity owned specialty Silicones provider from 2012 to 2018.
He is a director and Vice Chair of Vocational Guidance Service, a Cleveland non-profit agency which “helps prepare people with barriers to employment for a brighter future”, and also serves on the Cleveland State University Board of Trustees. He is the past Chair of the CSU Foundation Board, and has been active inthe Boy Scouts Greater Western Reserve Advisory Council. He was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2010.
Steve earned a bachelors and masters degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from Cleveland State University and was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business from CSU in 2007. He was a long time member of the College's Visiting Committee and now serves on the CSU Board of Trustees.