CEF Celebrates Women’s History Month – Meet Industry President and CEO Molly Kellogg!

In honor of Women’s History Month, CEF is highlighting the inspiring women in STEM who help make CEF programs possible. Throughout the month we will learn about female chemists, volunteers, and more!

And now: the pioneering Molly Kellogg!

Tell us about yourself!

I am a 6^th generation family member at Hubbard-Hall. I am the first female CEO for the company. I have a BA in Comparative Literature from Princeton, an MBA from INSEAD, and am an avid ice hockey player.

What is a typical day like for you?

I coached my daughters’ ice hockey team for a while and I think a CEO’s role is similar to that of a coach: your role is to devise a game plan based on who the competition is, and provide training and resources to execute the plan. Then, get out of the way and let the team “play,” celebrating successes along the way and making sure there is wisdom gained from failure. I used to tell the girls in practice that unless they “blew an edge” and wiped out, they weren’t trying hard enough. Unless you fell down, you weren’t actually improving. I think the same thing holds true in business and in science in particular.

What is a proud accomplishment you have?

I am inspired by the longevity of our business. Not many companies survive 167 years and six generations. My goal is to build a healthy, progressive company that is ready for the 7^th generation when they are ready.

Who is a woman who inspired you and why?

My three teenage daughters inspire me. They believe there is nothing they can’t do or be. I often tell the story of the day they came to the office for a brown bag lunch in our conference room. As the 10-year-old surveyed the conference table, she said, “Now the person who’s in charge…where does she sit?”

What have been some of your challenges as a woman in your field?

I’m a big believer in relativity. For every challenge, there has been an opportunity, so I have no complaints.

What message would you like to share with young girls who are considering a career in science?

A career in science means a career in discovery, collaboration and progress. What could be better than that?