Vice President Global Technologies, GE Plastics
Biography
Dr. Banholzer received his bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Marquette University in 1979. His MS thesis and dissertation applied the principles of conservation of orbital symmetry to explain the anisotropic reaction rate of NO on Platinum. Dr. Banholzer was awarded his PhD only 43 months after entering U of I. In 1980 he was the recipient of a Teaching excellence award.
In July of 1983, Dr. Banholzer joined GE's Corporate Research and Development Laboratory (CRD) as a Staff Chemical Engineer. His work included studies in: catalysis, III-V semiconductors, and radar absorbing materials for GE's Aircraft Engine division. From 1987-92 Dr. Banholzer performed extensive research into the production and properties of synthetic diamond including establishing the current world record for thermal conductivity and bond energy for any known material
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In 1989, Dr Banholzer headed the R&D Center's CVD Material Program and later was promoted to Lab Manager for Advanced Inorganic Materials, which conducted research for GE's Lighting. Medical, Aerospace, Aircraft Engine, Transportation and Plastics Businesses. In 1992 Dr. Banholzer transferred to GE Superabrasives Business. He held numerous management positions culminating in responsibility for the division's worldwide engineering and quality efforts. In 1997 Dr. Banholzer was promoted to Company Officer and transferred to GE Lighting as VP Global Engineering. In this position he directed worldwide product, process engineering, quality, and EHS efforts for the $3.5B consumer and commercial lighting operation. This entailed responsibility for over 700 engineers and scientists, at 59 plants in 13 countries. In July of 1999 Dr. Banholzer was promoted to his current position of VP Global Technology for GE's $7.5B Plastics Business. His group is responsible for worldwide Technology and Engineering including process and product engineering, new capacity technology, and product quality initiatives.
Dr. Banholzer was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, has written or co-authored 11 internal GE reports, 72 external publications, including solicited contributions to two books. These publications have received over 1000 citations in the scientific community. He has 14 issued US patents. Dr. Banholzer has been awarded numerous honors including: GE's Bronze, Silver and Gold Patent Awards, election to the Whitney Gallery of Technical Achievement, GE' Leadership Award, and GE's 6? Quality Award.
Selected Publications:
Banholzer, William, "Understanding The Mechanics Of CVD Diamond," Surf. Coat. Technology, 53 (1), p1-12, '(1992).
Banholzer, W.F., and Spiro, C.L., "Non-Traditional Applications of Diamond Made Possible by CVD," Diamond Films and Technology, 1(2), p115-126, (1991).
Anthony, T.R., Banholzer, W.F., Fleischer J.F., Wei, Lanhua, Kuo, P.K., Thomas, R.L., and Pryor, R.W., "Thermal Diffusivity of Isotopically Enriched 12C Diamond," Phys. Rev. B, 42, p1104-1111, (1990).
Banholzer, William F., and Burrell, Michael, C., "Characterization of Reactive Areas in the Direct Process for the Production of Methylchlorosilanes," J Catal. 114(2), p259-70, (1988).
Banholzer, W.F., Park, Y.O., Mak, K.M., and Masel, R.I., "A Model for the Plane to Plane Variation in Catalytic Activity Seen During Nitric Oxide Decomposition on Platinum," Surface Science 128(1), p176-190, (1983).
Klingler College of Arts & Sciences
