BOURLA, SPERGEL AND O’DONNAVAN HONORED AT CME STEM LEADERSHIP AWARDS
For Immediate Release
December 9, 2025 - New York, NY AIAC Chairman L. M. Levie hosted colleagues and friends at the Chemical Marketing & Economics (CME) STEM Leadership Awards Luncheon and Gala Reception held on December 9, 2025, in Midtown Manhattan from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM. The event honored Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla for Lifetime Achievement, Simons Foundation President David Spergel for Fundamental Research, and Arkema Inc. President and CEO Anthony O'Donovan for Corporate Reinvention. The Keynote Speaker was NASA former Chief Scientist James Green. Mr. Levie serves as an Advisor to the Board of Directors of CME and as CME STEM Awards Committee Member.
This prestigious event marked CME's 71st Anniversary and continued the organization's tradition of recognizing exceptional leaders who advance STEM innovation, sustainability, and global impact at the intersection of business, science, and technology.
AIAC Chairman L. M. Levie, commented:
"This year I have had the privilege to nominate Dr. Bourla and Dr. Spergel for the CME STEM Award. Albert’s personal life journey is extraordinary and his leadership role, as Chairman of Pfizer, in ending the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic by leading the development, production and delivery of the Pfizer vaccine has directly saved millions of lives globally. David’s research in the field of advanced astrophysics have changed our understanding of the origins of the universe, and his leadership of the Simons Foundation, among the most generous private funding source for primary scientific research, has paved the way for revolutionary innovation for years to come.”
“Despite their stunning accomplishments, both men are remarkably humble, a fact to which I can personally attest. Albert is a fellow recipient of the Ellis Island Honor Society Medal, and the Chairman of Pfizer, an important client of Avara Pharmaceutical Services. David is a dear friend who has quietly advised me on one of my pet scientific projects, the revitalization of the massive Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.”
“I am deeply grateful to the CME Board for recognizing such worthy nominees. Last year, I was similarly touched that CME chose to honor three of my dearest friends, Hon. Wilbur L. Ross, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Hubert Sagnieres, Vice Chairman of Essilor Luxottica, and Richard Garriott de Cayeux, past President of The Explorers Club. It is thrilling to play a small part in recognizing giants such as these."
"AIAC and each of its affiliates is committed to advancing the frontiers of science and technology, which endears us to the noble mission of CME. Through Bradford Space, we are pioneering spacecraft propulsion and satellite technologies that expand humanity's reach into the cosmos. Champlain Cable delivers the ultra-precision-engineered wire and cable solutions that power the entire electric vehicle industry, along with critical global rail, defense, infrastructure, and industrial applications. SuperAlloy manufactures the critical blades and blisks essential to the performance jet engines. Vermont Aerospace provides the precision-machined components and assemblies that keep aircraft and spacecraft operating at the highest standards of safety and reliability. And as Partners of The Explorers Club, we proudly support the spirit of exploration and discovery that has driven human progress for generations.”
“Together, these enterprises reflect our deep conviction that private industry has both the opportunity and the obligation to invest in the scientific and technological advancements that will shape our collective future. It is this shared commitment to innovation, excellence, and the pursuit of knowledge that draws us to the inspiring work of CME and its recognition of those who dedicate their lives to the betterment of humanity through science. We are honored to stand alongside such distinguished honorees and to contribute, in our own way, to the continued advancement of STEM for generations to come."
At the close of the event, Mr. Levie presented his poetic tribute, entitled He Gazed Through Heaven’s Gates, to Marilyn Simons and to David Spergel.
Globally recognized, the CME STEM Leadership Award's distinguished honorees have included James and Marilyn Simons, Founders of the Simons Foundation, Len Blavatnik, Chairman of Access Industries Holdings and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Pindaros Roy Vagelos, Chairman of Regeneron and former Chairman of Merck & Co., Jon Huntsman, Sr., Chairman of Huntsman Corporation, Ken Frazer, Executive Chairman of Merck & Co., Jim Fitterling, Chairman of Dow Inc., John Craig Venter, Chairman of Celera Genomics and the J. Venter Institute, Henry Kravis, Chair of KKR, David Cote, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell Corporation, Martin Brudermüller, Chair of BASF and The Mercedes-Benz Group, Ed Breen of DuPont, Daniel D'Aniello of The Carlyle Group, and seven Nobel Laureates including Barry Sharpless (one of only five individuals in history to receive two Nobel Prizes), Frances Arnold, Carolyn Bertozzi, and Moungi Bawendi.
Chemical Marketing & Economics, Inc. (CME) located in Morristown, NJ, is focused on accelerating diverse Space Age STEM talent leadership for sustainable innovation, environmental stewardship and global impact at the intersection of business, science and technology.
CME was established in 1954 as a division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world's largest scientific societies, with 155,000 members and 20,000 students.
CME is today an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes events with NASA, the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Lab, ACS Technical Divisions and International Chapters, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the American Chemistry Council.
CME's award-winning interdisciplinary STEM activities include the fascinating Annual CME NASA Symposiums and Earth & Space Sustainability Summit and the unique CME PMSE Student & Mentor Awards which recognizes the most basic unit of human innovation, the student and mentor. CME is also the proud National Partner of the ACS Scholars Program and an AIChE collaborator of the FOSSI scholarships for underrepresented groups.
In addition to his roles with CME, Mr. Levie also serves as a Trustee and Poet Laureate of The Explorers Club, Trustee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. He is a Guest Lecturer at Harvard, Yale, and the University of Chicago, and an Honoree of the National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor. Mr. Levie is a Member of the Heritage Society of the National Academy of Sciences, the Minerva Society of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the President's Circle and the 1848 Society of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Legacy Society of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, the Laureate Circle of Rockefeller University, the Legacy Society and Constellation Club of the Space Foundation, the National Space Society, the Summit Council of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Jesup Legacy Circle of the American Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium, the 1861 Circle of MIT, the 1209 Society of the University of Cambridge, the Founding Grant Society of Stanford University, and the Johns Hopkins Legacy Society.
For further information, please see: https://www.cme-stem.org/events/2025-cme-stem-leadership-award/
For links to the introductions and addresses by each of the award winners and the keynote address, please see:
https://youtu.be/P24j69y3plU?si=MJZ0u2sIdaenc4hD
https://youtu.be/VioLVUWJtqg?si=Ez9QImTNMGBSGf0x
https://youtu.be/RTyUFPzZPgs?si=WKbQR9niJFkl-GRl
https://youtu.be/HaaEUV0KOWQ?si=G0Z-3ZmQdcjHFxvj
About Albert Bourla
Albert Bourla is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer Inc., one of the world's premier biopharmaceutical companies. Under his leadership, Pfizer has been at the forefront of developing breakthrough therapies and vaccines that have transformed global health outcomes.
Bourla joined Pfizer in 1993 and has held multiple leadership positions across the company's global operations, including leading Pfizer's global vaccine business and serving as Group President of Pfizer Innovative Health. He was named Chief Executive Officer in January 2019 and became Chairman in January 2020.
During his tenure as CEO, Bourla led Pfizer through one of the most significant periods in pharmaceutical history, including the rapid development and global deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. His leadership exemplifies the critical role of pharmaceutical innovation in addressing global health challenges.
Bourla is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Ph.D. in the Biotechnology of Reproduction from the Veterinary School of Aristotle University. He is actively involved in numerous industry and policy organizations focused on advancing healthcare innovation and access worldwide.
About David Spergel
David Spergel is the President of the Simons Foundation, one of the nation's leading private funders of basic scientific research. The Simons Foundation advances the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences through its grant programs, which support outstanding investigators and innovative projects.
Prior to joining the Simons Foundation, Spergel was the Charles A. Young Professor of Astronomy on the Class of 1897 Foundation and Chair of the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. He is renowned for his groundbreaking work in theoretical astrophysics and cosmology, particularly his contributions to understanding the structure and evolution of the universe.
Spergel's research has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of dark matter, dark energy, and the cosmic microwave background radiation. He has received numerous honors for his scientific contributions, including membership in the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Under his leadership, the Simons Foundation continues to support fundamental research that expands human knowledge and drives scientific discovery across multiple disciplines.
About Anthony O'Donovan
Anthony O'Donovan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Arkema Inc., the North American subsidiary of Arkema, a global leader in specialty materials and advanced materials solutions. Arkema is a French multinational company with operations in more than 55 countries and a portfolio spanning high-performance materials, industrial specialties, and coating solutions.
O'Donovan has demonstrated exceptional leadership in transforming Arkema's North American operations to meet the evolving demands of sustainable materials development. His strategic vision has positioned the company at the forefront of developing innovative, environmentally responsible materials for diverse industries including automotive, electronics, construction, and renewable energy.
With extensive experience in the chemical and materials industry, O'Donovan has championed initiatives that balance economic performance with environmental stewardship. His leadership reflects a commitment to corporate reinvention through sustainable innovation, operational excellence, and strategic positioning for long-term growth in an evolving global marketplace.
Under his guidance, Arkema Inc. continues to invest in research and development of next-generation materials that support the transition to a more sustainable economy while delivering value to customers across multiple sectors.
About James L. Green
James Lauer Green is an American physicist who served as NASA's chief scientist until his retirement on January 1, 2022, after more than 40 years of service at the agency. Green received his Ph.D. in Space Physics from the University of Iowa in 1979. He studied practical astronomy in high school before majoring in astronomy at the University of Iowa, where he was influenced by renowned scientists including Dr. James A. Van Allen and Dr. Don Gurnett.
Green began his NASA career at Marshall Space Flight Center, where he developed and managed NASA's first Internet, the Space Physics Analysis Network. He also served as a safety diver in the Neutral Buoyancy tank. Green became Director of NASA's Planetary Science Division in August 2006, a position he held for more than a decade—making him the longest-serving director in that division's history. Under his leadership, numerous high-profile missions were successfully executed, including New Horizons flyby of Pluto, MESSENGER to Mercury, Juno to Jupiter, Dawn to Vesta and Ceres, and the landings of the Curiosity, InSight, and Perseverance rovers on Mars. In September 2015, he announced the likelihood that there was once flowing water on Mars.
In 2018, acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot named Green as NASA's new chief scientist, effective May 1, 2018. Throughout his distinguished career, Green received the Arthur S. Flemming award in 1988 for outstanding individual performance in the federal government and was awarded Japan's Kotani Prize in 1996 for his international science data management activities. In 2017, asteroid 25913 was named Jamesgreen in his honor. He has authored more than 125 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and over 80 technical and popular science articles. Green also served as an advisor on cultural projects, including helping coordinate NASA's involvement with the 2015 film "The Martian.
About American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) is a diversified industrial group with manufacturing and distribution sites in 24 countries in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia-New Zealand. AIAC has acquired and grown non-core subsidiaries and divisions of Boeing, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Johnson Controls, Merck, Pfizer, Astellas, Visteon, Carlyle, Ahlstrom, Tolko, Groupe Suez, Groupe Rexel, and many other leading multinational corporations.
AIAC companies serve companies and governmental entities worldwide in all major sectors, including aviation, space, defense, automotive, truck, rail, marine, petrochemical, solar, nuclear, food, confectionary, beverage, civil engineering and infrastructure, commercial construction, mining, dredging, disaster relief, education, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. In addition, AIAC companies are exclusive, authorized distributors of leading branded industrial and consumer products and serve as critical suppliers for the construction of major airports, schools, hospitals, performing arts and sports centers, offices and hotels throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AIAC is a leading manufacturer of building, street, and highway signage in Europe, signage and illumination structures in North America, and a distributor of electrical products throughout France.
Of note, AIAC purchased Boeing Canada in 2005 and has produced over 10,000 unique components for every Boeing jet plane ever since, reliably serving Boeing from manufacturing facilities in North America. A leader in ultra-high precision jet engine component manufacturing, AIAC companies produce 2,200 fan blades for each jet engine produced by GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell.
AIAC companies actively support exploration into outer space, manufacturing critical components for launching and propelling spacecraft and satellites. AIAC customers in this sector include NASA, the European Space Agency, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing. AIAC affiliate, Champlain Cable Corporation, supported the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space missions with high performance wire and cable. AIAC companies also lead in the design and manufacture of undersea umbilical cables for worldwide oceanographic research.
AIAC companies produce the critical automotive wire and cable for Tesla, GM, Ford, Chrysler-Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan. In connection with its kraft paper manufacturing interests in Canada and the US, AIAC controls and sustainably manages 22 million acres of Manitoba, Canada forestland, an area equivalent in size to the nation of Hungary.
AIAC affiliate, Metallwarenfabrik Gemmingen GmbH, located in Germany, designs, manufactures and distributes high performance, emergency portable power generators utilized in global conflict zones and during natural disasters.
For further information, please see:
www.aiac.com
About AIAC Philanthropy
AIAC and the AIAC Foundation support a wide range of nonprofit, nonsectarian, bipartisan organizations which promote international conflict resolution, disaster relief, economic development, environmental sustainability, exploration, and the performing arts.
The exploration-focused nonprofit organizations which they actively support include the Explorers Club, the National Geographic Society, the Royal Geographical Society, The Royal Observatory Greenwich, the American Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Space Society, and the United States Space Foundation.
AIAC's other beneficiaries include the Appeal of the Nobel Peace Laureates Foundation Inc., the Asia Society, the Atlantic Council, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Gates Philanthropy Partners, the Bretton Woods Committee, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Carter Center, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Foreign Policy Association, the Institut Française des Relations Internationales, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Crisis Group, the International Rescue Committee, the Japan Society, the JFK School of Government of Harvard University, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the Sierra Club, the Trilateral Commission, and the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute.
For further information, please see:
https://www.aiac.com/our-values
Media Contact:
Isabel Carro-Toro, Vice President
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
+34 689 295 827 (Spain)
+1 787 244 3175 (USA)
icarro-toro@aiac.com