Steven Dorfman Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SDCIE) Advisory Council

Russell S. Young retired as senior vice president and chief financial officer of the Lyondell Chemical Company after 18 years in the high-performance chemical and oil refining industries. He was involved in numerous multibillion dollar joint ventures and jumbo transactions after successfully overhauling the company’s business processes and launching the new public company with the largest industrial IPO to date. As an executive, he oversaw all financial functions as well as information technology, investor relations, public and government affairs, and quality assurance.

A former controller for the Atlantic Richfield Company/ARCO, Young was the chief negotiator for $17 billion in financing projects, including international joint ventures. He has served on numerous corporate and foundation boards.

He received his bachelor’s in economics from Cal Lutheran in 1971, followed by an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

He attributes much of his success to working within a culture of encouragement.