AVN CTO Jack Dever wins the CACHE-Sponsored Lawrence B. Evans Award in Chemical Engineering Practice

Lawrence B. Evans Award in Chemical Engineering Practice recognizes an individual for substantial lifetime achievement in one or more aspects of industrial chemical engineering practice, including management, leadership, research, publications, technology development, patents, engineering and construction, process operations and supply-chain management, sales and marketing, design, manufacturing, economic analysis, planning, business development, and entrepreneurship. The award is administrated by the AIChE and sponsored by CACHE.

[The following article is reprinted from an AVN Corporation press release - LINK]

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va., August 25, 2023 – AVN Corp. announced today that Dr. John “Jack” Dever, chief technology officer and executive vice president, was selected as the recipient of the 2023 Lawrence B. Evans Award in Chemical Engineering Practice by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). This prestigious annual award recognizes an individual for substantial lifetime achievement in one or more aspects of industrial chemical engineering practice.

“This award is a testament to Jack’s lifetime of technical expertise and organizational impact spanning more than three decades. His contributions have not only transformed our company but have left an imprint on the entire industry,” said Steve Hedrick, chairman and CEO, AVN. “I’m not just proud, but I’m also inspired by his journey, his commitment, and his belief in the power of science to transform our world. I have no doubt he will continue to lead us towards a future that is brighter, cleaner, and more sustainable for all.”

Dr. Dever is being recognized for his more than 30 years of achievement in technical and organizational leadership within the chemical engineering practice. Among his contributions to the field is his involvement in introducing the breakthrough ethylene oxide/glycol technology, including catalyst development, operations support and new process development. He led the research and development (R&D) team for this new technology and became the production manager of its first implementation. He holds three patents from his work in ethylene oxide and acrylic acid/acrolein and has presented several papers on technology transfer and commercialization.

Among his many accolades, Dr. Dever was inducted into the Academy of Chemical Engineers at West Virginia University, his alma mater, and was named an AIChE Fellow, another esteemed honor in the field of chemical engineering.

As CTO at AVN, Dr. Dever is responsible for the strategic direction and execution of the chemical technology programs, including lab, pilot plant and manufacturing technology development. He joined AVN in 2011 and held several positions including Director of Process Technology and Process Engineering, responsible for later stage process development work, including modeling and piloting of technologies developed in AVN or customer labs.

Prior to joining AVN, he held roles of increasing responsibilities at Dow Chemical and Union Carbide Corporation. Dr. Dever received a bachelor of science and a master of science in chemical engineering from West Virginia University, and he received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Dr. Dever will be recognized for this significant achievement at the Honors Ceremony of the AIChE Annual Meeting in November in Orlando, Fla.