George Hamilton, President, Dow Automotive, has been named as one of the Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America by Black Enterprise Magazine. The list is compiled from the 1,000 largest publicly traded companies and leading international corporations located in the U.S. For 2005, the list included 75 honorees from 62 companies representing 12 industries.

"This is a tremendous honor," said Hamilton. "Hard work and a fair share of good fortune got me to where I am today, and I'm proud to not only lead an organization like Dow Automotive, but to have maintained my passion for the automotive industry."

Dow Automotive was established as a market-facing business for Dow Chemical in 1999. The organization has become the world's leading supplier of adhesive and sealant solutions to the automotive industry and ranks among the top suppliers of plastics for vehicle interior, exterior, and under-the-hood applications. Dow Automotive's unique portfolio also enables engineering and design solutions that combine bonding technology with plastic expertise to create ongoing innovation for the industry.

"This is a great honor for George and for Dow," said Andrew Liveris, CEO, Dow Chemical. "Having our leaders acknowledged at this level helps enhance our corporate reputation and brings positive recognition of the entire Dow Chemical Company."

Since its inception in 1988, the annual list has seen a 300 percent increase in the number of high-ranking black executives.

"It's gratifying to see that kind of growth for black executives in America," continued Hamilton. "Young professionals coming up through the ranks will surely benefit from this growing number of role models."

Hamilton, along with other honorees from well-known and respected companies like Boeing, Xerox, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Wal-Mart, Time Warner, FedEx, Whirlpool, CNBC, Absolut Spirit Company, J.P. Morgan, GE, Kmart and McDonald's - among others - will be recognized at a reception sponsored by GE and NBC on January 19. The reception is being hosted by NBC at its studio in New York City's Rockefeller Center.

Hamilton holds a B.S. in business administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., has been with Dow since 1977 and was named President of Dow Automotive in 2003.

Selection criteria for the 75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America, along with comprehensive profiles of each honoree, is available in the February 2005 issue of Black Enterprise, due on newsstands on January 18. A complete list of all 75 honorees is also available from the publication.

Dow Automotive is a leading supplier of plastics, adhesives, sealants and other plastics-enhanced products for interior, exterior, under-the-hood, vehicle body structure and acoustical management applications. The organization serves global tier, OEM and aftermarket customers. With offices and application development centers around the world, Dow Automotive provides materials science expertise and comprehensive technical capabilities to its customers worldwide. For additional information about Dow Automotive products and services, visit www.dowautomotive.com.