Curtis Huddle, Eastman
ST. LOUIS, MO. – The Materials Technology Institute (MTI) would like to announce Curtis Huddle, Eastman Chemical Company, as the newest member of its Board of Directors (BOD). Huddle was nominated and appointed to the BOD in December 2020. He replaces outgoing BOD member Eileen Chant who resigned from member company Becht in November.
Huddle has been at Eastman since 2008 where he started working in a co-op and became a full-time employee in 2010. His participation in MTI soon followed when he attended his first meeting in February 2010 in St. Petersburg, Fl.
Huddle vividly recalls the meeting, “I could tell it was a very collegial organization as I was dragged around by Robert Sinko and Gary Whitaker, both MTI Fellows now, and met so many of the knowledgeable and respected names in the organization.”
He says it’s been an ongoing whirlwind of project involvement and Championing several projects ever since and now he’s ready to step up and serve on the BOD.
“Since the beginning of my work with MTI, I have been very interested in the organization’s role in supporting the people that work in the materials technology fields. I see the BOD as the main servants of MTI who influence the direction of the organization and in the end better serve our members so they can solve the issues they have day-to-day,” Huddle explains.
“So, by accepting my appointment to the BOD I hope to also serve the organization in the best way I can so that current and future members get the best resources they can to go solve their companies’ problems and best do their jobs. In this way, I hope I can have some small part in keeping our plants safer and more reliable.”
Huddle plans to keep his eyes and ears open within the membership to keep abreast of any current issues, as well as look into the root causes of issues to serve MTI more productively as a whole. In addition, he would like to devote some time to one of the larger issues in the industry – knowledge management.
“I hope to give some insight into this issue and see it from a whole career perspective, from student to retiree, so that we can bridge the many gaps that are starting to open in our fields,” he remarks. “If you have an issue that you need fixed, I hope you feel free to come to me or anyone on the BOD and to let that issue be known.”
MTI looks forward to Huddle’s input on the BOD and is appreciative of his role and all other BOD members who have served and those who continue to serve MTI.
“I am very thankful of all of those great members who have come before me and laid the path to make MTI what it is today, and I hope my involvement on the board will increase our influence to best support the Materials Industries into the future,” he concludes.