New Technical Director Joins the Vinyl Institute Team

Domenic DeCaria, a chemical engineer with a strong business background, has joined the Vinyl Institute as technical director. In his new role, DeCaria will work on technical matters related to material science, recycling, sustainability, and other core vinyl industry issues.

DeCaria joins the VI from Lubrizol Corporation’s TempRite Engineered Polymers division, where he was the global business development manager responsible for identifying new market opportunities for CPVC. In that role, he also led sustainability efforts for the CPVC business, including engaging with the VI, the American Chemistry Council, and other industry groups. DeCaria earlier served in several technical roles at Lubrizol over a 15-year tenure at the company. He previously worked in process engineering roles at National Steel Corporation.

“I once started a craft brewery.”

At one point during his early career, DeCaria and a partner founded (and ultimately failed to launch) a craft brewing business. He told the Vinyl Institute that the biggest thing he learned from that experience “was that I gave up too soon.” He said that experience spurred his “to dedicate myself to work even harder at everything I’ve done since then.”

DeCaria holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from Wayne State University. While he’s no longer brewing beer, he enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, playing the guitar, and – from time to time – officiating at weddings.