Ellen J. Kullman, chief executive officer of DuPont, will be honored with the 2009 Business Leader of the Year Award by Loyola College in Maryland’s Joseph A. Sellinger, S.J., School of Business and Management at the annual award dinner on Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore. A cocktail reception will begin at 5:45 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. John Dinkel, publisher of the Baltimore Business Journal, will serve as the master of ceremonies.

“Ellen Kullman leads one of the world’s foremost corporate innovators, a company that develops remarkable scientific solutions that have the power to transform people’s lives in countless ways,” said Loyola’s President, Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J. “DuPont and Mrs. Kullman are also known for their commitment to corporate ethics and sustainability, values that are both critical to long-term success in today’s business world, as well as principles that are central to Loyola’s mission. We are delighted to recognize an executive of her caliber as our Business Leader of the Year.”

Appointed president of the company in October 2008 and CEO in January 2009, Kullman previously served as executive vice president and a member of the office of the chief executive. Responsible for a wide range of divisions including DuPont Coatings & Color Technologies; DuPont Performance Materials; DuPont Safety & Protection; and Safety & Sustainability, she was tapped in March 2008 to lead the dynamic planning process for the company’s growth in emerging international markets.

“Our programs are designed to prepare students to engage in the corporate world on a national and global scale as well as build strong local and regional relationships,” said Karyl B. Leggio, Ph.D., dean of the Sellinger School of Business and Management. “Ellen Kullman leads an exceptional, innovative company with thriving operations in more than 70 countries. She does so with a clear regard for ethical behavior, for employee development, and for sustainable business practices. As such, she represents the best possible example of how to lead with vision and integrity.”

Kullman’s career with DuPont dates back to 1988, when she joined the company as marketing manager for the Medical Imaging business. In the years that followed she assumed a series of increasingly senior positions, including business director for the X-ray film business; global business director of Printing & Publishing; and group vice president of Safety & Protection. Kullman has been on the list of the 50 most powerful women in business by Fortune magazine since 2006.

Prior to joining DuPont, Kullman worked for General Electric in a variety of business development and marketing positions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in management from Northwestern University. A member of the board of trustees at Tufts, Kullman sits on the board of overseers at the university’s School of Engineering, as well as the board of trustees of the National Safety Council.

The Sellinger School has honored a Business Leader of the Year since 1983, recognizing those whose vision, dedicated effort and singular commitment to the highest ideals of business have distinguished them and their organizations as among the very best in the nation. Past recipients include Gerard E. Holthaus of Algeco Scotsman; John C. Erickson of Erickson Retirement Communities; John Paterakis, President and CEO of H&S Bakery; Inc.; Robert Lawless, CEO of McCormick; August A. Busch, III of the Anheuser-Busch Companies; J. Willard Marriott, Jr. of Marriott International; Raymond A. “Chip” Mason of Legg Mason; and William R. Roberts, President of Verizon-Maryland.

For more information on this year’s Business Leader of the Year Award Dinner or to sponsor a table, please visit www.loyola.edu/businessleader or call Allison Rubin at 410-617-2973.