SI Group Board Chairman named 2017 Business Change Maker

SCHENECTADY, NY – March 29, 2017 – SI Group, a leading global developer and manufacturer of chemical intermediates, specialty resins, and solutions, announced today that the Capital Region Chamber will bestow its highest honor to Wallace (Wally) A. Graham, former CEO and current Chairman of SI Group. Graham will be honored as the 2017 “ChangeMaker” for his contributions to and impact on the Capital Region through his investment and leadership. The award will be presented at the organization’s annual dinner on Thursday, March 30 at the brand-new, 22,500-square-foot Albany Capital Center.

“This is a tremendous honor,” said Wally Graham, Chairman of SI Group. “The Capital Region Chamber has worked over the last several years to promote a more positive business climate in our region. Their support of businesses, both large and small, has propelled the Capital Region into an era of improved economic activity. I’m pleased to be associated with such a wonderful organization.” Wally Graham is Chairman of the Board of SI Group, Inc., a role he has held since 1995. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of SI Group from 1995 until 2008. Prior to joining SI Group, Inc. he was a business executive at IBM for 25 years during which he held various management positions at several IBM locations. Graham received a B.S./B.A. from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Additionally, he received his USMCR commission from the UNC NROTC program. He spent two years on active duty as an officer in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for 13 months and was later promoted to the rank of captain.

A longtime philanthropist, Graham has been involved in numerous Capital Region projects, and has supported many local charities. Currently, he serves as the Vice Chairman of the Capital Campaign of the Boys and Girls Club of Schenectady. He previously served as Director and Vice Chairman of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center; former Director of Union College; former Director of the Sunnyview Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Foundation; former Vice President of Schenectady 2000; former Chairman of the Vale Park Task Force; and former Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Schenectady YMCA.

The Chamber’s annual dinner is the region’s premier business event, attended by 1,000 Tech Valley business executives and civic leaders. For more information, visit www.capitalregionchamber.com.

The Capital Region Chamber represents 2,600 businesses and organizations from throughout the Capital Region – Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties and beyond – that employ more than 150,000 area residents. The Capital Region Chamber’s goal is economic prosperity for our business members and our community.

About SI Group

SI Group is a leading global developer and manufacturer of chemical intermediates, specialty resins, and solutions that are critical to the quality and performance of countless industrial and consumer goods. Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, SI Group is a family-owned company with over 2,700 employees worldwide. SI Group operates 20 manufacturing facilities on five continents with over $1 billion in annual sales. In 2016, SI Group received a silver award for corporate social responsibility by EcoVadis, and is ranked among the top 13 percent of more than 25,000 worldwide companies. SI Group is The Substance Inside. For more information, visit www.siigroup.com.