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impact SUMMER 2013 CREATING COMMUNITY SUCCESS IN THE DELAWARE VALLEY Philadelphia Science Festival Page 4 STEM Call to Action Page 8 Raising a City of Readers Page 15 Dow and Habitat, 30 Years of Building Together Page 20

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Page 1: Philadelphia Science Festival Page 4

impactSUMMER 2013

creating community success in the Delaware Valley

Philadelphia Science Festival Page 4

STEM Callto Action Page 8

Raising a Cityof Readers Page 15

Dow and Habitat,30 Years of Building Together Page 20

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DOW in the Delaware Valley• 100+ years in the region

• Approximately 2,000 employees in the region

• Four of Dow’s 13 global businesses headquartered in the region

• Research and development, manufacturing and commercial operations spanning acrylic technology for paints, coatings and construction materials, technologies for enhanced water purification, advanced polymers and technologies for household and personal care, ingredients and delivery systems for pharmaceuticals and food, insulation used in homes and buildings and products used to fabricate electronic chips

• Annual sales in 2012 from customers based in the region of approximately $1 billion

• Committed to improving life in the communities we serve, contributing more than $5 million to more than 150 community programs since 2010

www.dow.com/delawarevalley

Dow combines the power of science anD technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress

• Founded in 1897 by Herbert H. Dow in Midland, Michigan

• Approximately 54,000 employees worldwide

• 188 sites in 36 countries

• Annual sales in 2012 of approximately $57 billion

• Diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses

• Delivers 5,000 technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countrieswww.dow.com

DOW in the worlD

Spring House, Pa.

Bristol, Pa.

Newark, Del.

Pennsauken, N.J.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Collegeville, Pa.

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impactSUMMER 2013

creating community success in the Delaware Valley

Technology cenTer prepares for move ..... page 6

ouT of This world: pennsauken sTudenTs send projecT To inTernaTional space sTaTion .....................page 7

sTem call To acTion ............................................ page 8

focus on communiTy success ...................... page 9

‘dowgives’ Through communiTy granTs .... page 14

raising a ciTy of readers ............................... page 15

rise roboTs, rise! sTudenTs earn naTional honors in roboTics ................. page 16

employees in The spoTlighT ........................... page 17

uniTed we sTand ................................................... page 18

dow painT farm specializes in harvesTing innovaTion ...............................page 22

leT’s eaT! dow producTs find Their way To foods ................................................... page 23

™Trademark of The dow ChemiCal Company (“dow”) or an affiliaTed Company of dow

TA B l E o f C o n T E n T S

A l S o I n S I D E T H I S I S S u E

Volunteers, H.H. Dowbot and Hands-on Experimentsphiladelphia science festival the best yet ..........page 4

Great American Cleanupskeep the region beautiful ......................................page 12

In the Eye of the Stormdow responds to sandy ........................................ page 10

Dow and Habitat30 years of building Together ............................. page 20

DOW in the Delaware Valley• 100+ years in the region

• Approximately 2,000 employees in the region

• Four of Dow’s 13 global businesses headquartered in the region

• Research and development, manufacturing and commercial operations spanning acrylic technology for paints, coatings and construction materials, technologies for enhanced water purification, advanced polymers and technologies for household and personal care, ingredients and delivery systems for pharmaceuticals and food, insulation used in homes and buildings and products used to fabricate electronic chips

• Annual sales in 2012 from customers based in the region of approximately $1 billion

• Committed to improving life in the communities we serve, contributing more than $5 million to more than 150 community programs since 2010

www.dow.com/delawarevalley

• Founded in 1897 by Herbert H. Dow in Midland, Michigan

• Approximately 54,000 employees worldwide

• 188 sites in 36 countries

• Annual sales in 2012 of approximately $57 billion

• Diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses

• Delivers 5,000 technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countrieswww.dow.com

on the cover: rodolfo bayona-plata, north america technical service and sales service director, dow coating materials, and howard ungerleider, executive vice president, dow advanced materials, show visitors the science behind adding color to paint at the 2013 philadelphia science festival.

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A clear, windy day at the 2013 Philadelphia’s Science Festival’s Carnival on the Parkway yielded an endless supply of scientific wonder and delight for tens of thousands of Philadelphians of all ages.

The Carnival, held April 20, was the pinnacle of the eleven-day, community-wide celebration of science, featuring more than 100 lectures, debates, hands-on activities and special exhibitions designed with one purpose: to spur curiosity and inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers.

Supported with a grant from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation, the Philadelphia Science Festival has grown substantially in just three years. Dow’s leadership as the presenting sponsor has also resulted in new partners being engaged for this year’s Festival, including a new challenge grant. This challenge resulted in $200,000 of additional funds raised to amplify the impact of this event.

“We see the Philadelphia Science Festival as a mini job fair for future Dow scientists to solve world challenges,” said Howard Ungerleider, executive vice president,

volunteers, h.h. dowbot and hands-on experiments philadelphia science festival the best yet

volunteers from dow joined the philly phanatic in celebrating science at the 2013 philadelphia science festival.

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Dow Advanced Materials. “Revitalizing STEM education and increasing the number of students who choose STEM majors and careers is imperative for our industry and economy. As a leading corporate citizen in this region for more than 100 years, it’s not only good business for all of us, but it’s imperative to enhancing these communities we call home.”

No education could be complete, though, without the tireless passion and expertise of Dow volunteers. In all, more than 40 employees hailing from sites throughout the Delaware Valley were on hand to conduct fun experiments highlighting Dow businesses and technologies. Symbolic of Dow’s Water and Process Solutions, children could extract iron from cereal with the Chemical Educational Foundation’s You Be the Chemist® program and mix their own can of colored paint with experts from Dow Coating Materials.

“It was great to see kids enjoy themselves,” said Mike Linsen, senior technologist leader, Dow Coating Materials. “They were coming at us left and right but we were able to cater to all, leaving them with new knowledge and smiles.”

Festival-goers had the opportunity to learn about Dow’s impact in the Delaware Valley, the science and technol-ogy researched and manufactured here, and how Dow’s “24 Hours of Solutions” are part of everyday life.

Teachers were challenged to get in on the act, as well. Through Dow’s education partnerships, teachers had the opportunity to learn about the You Be the Chemist® program with staff from the Chemical Educational Foundation as well as enter a drawing for a trip to one of the Smithsonian Science Education Academy sessions to be held this summer.

Most exciting for the festival-goers, the Carnival was home to a first for Dow – the public unveiling of H.H. Dowbot, a robot with a passion for STEM education and a knack for pointing out the science behind everything we see and do. Children flocked to see the six-foot, interactive robot, who posed for pictures and had a digital quip for everyone he met.

While all involved agreed that the Carnival was a success, the goal of educating, beautifying, and creating a more sustainable planet must continue.

Additional stops for the many experiments seen at the Carnival and H.H. Dowbot included Temple University–Ambler EarthFest on April 26 and Science Day at the Ballpark with the Wilmington Blue Rocks on June 2.

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Technology center prepares for move research hub remains in montgomery countyWorld-class researchers at Dow’s Spring House Technical Center have been at the forefront of innovative research and development for the past 50 years. Dow’s new Northeast Technology Center will provide the necessary collaborative and enhanced research capabilities to continue this tradition, developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems for the years to come.

Beginning late spring 2013 and continuing through 2014, the Company will move its Technical Center in Spring House, Penn., to the new Northeast Technology Center in Collegeville, Penn.

This new research and development (R&D) hub is one of the largest sites of its kind that Dow operates globally. Scientists there focus on new product development for a variety of businesses, including coatings, packaging, personal care, construction, electrical and telecommunications. It is a nexus of scientific research that leads to new products and solutions for Dow.

Originally built for pharmaceutical research, Dow’s Northeast Technology Center in Collegeville boasts laboratories, conference rooms, an auditorium and other common areas under one roof. It is a large facility, well-equipped for more than 800 employees.

Nilesh Shah, senior R&D director, Dow Consumer & Industrial Solutions and Technical Center site leader, points to several reasons Dow decided on the Collegeville location, including its state-of-the-art facilities, physical layout, and potential to keep and attract talented scientists along the East Coast.

“Innovation is driven by the sharing and borrowing and building of ideas,” said Shah. “We have tremendously talented scientists here who are conducting exciting research. Our new location will make Dow that much more attractive to other top talent.”

The move is good news to the Collegeville community, said Reneé Blomstrom, director of public relations for the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce, which supports businesses in and around Collegeville.

“Dow is a welcome addition to our membership and we embrace the positive impact the global organization will have on our local economy. We are confident Dow will benefit from the talented workforce and abundance of community partnership opportunities the region has to offer,” said Blomstrom.

Reflecting on the move from Spring House to Collegeville, Shah said it represents Dow’s commitment to the Delaware Valley for the foreseeable future. “We’re leaving a site that has served us well for the last 50 years to a site that ensures we will continue to be a hub of research and development for Dow for the next 50 years. It’s an exciting time for all of us.”

The promising future of operations at dow’s new northeast Technology Center in Collegeville, penn., is being built on the solid foundation of the Spring house location.

originally a farm, rohm and haas purchased the land for Spring house from Charles Collum in 1961 and opened the Technical Center just two years later. in 2009, dow acquired rohm and haas, including the Spring house Technical Center.

every day, scientists at the Spring house Technical Center research and develop products that make lives better. Some of the site’s notable accomplishments include the invention of the acrylic technology behind high-quality acrylic latex paints; water purification products; polymers that make laundry detergents and cosmetic products, including shampoos, lotions and conditioners work better. The site also hosts the paint Quality institute (see related story, page 22).

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Building on the Past

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Everyone has done a middle school science project at one time or another. Few, however, have their experiment sent into orbit.

Four students at Phifer Middle School in Pennsauken, N.J., earned the thrill of having their experiment rocketed to the International Space Station this spring through the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program (SSEP). As part of Dow’s commitment to educating the next generation of scientists, the company provided financial support to the project.

“This program is a real challenge – in a good way,” said Michael Ostroff, science and physical education supervisor for the Pennsauken Township School District. “We really hope we can interest students in science.”

SSEP involves an entire community in research, inquiry and innovation. In Pennsauken, about 400 eighth- graders formed teams of four people. Each team designed an experiment that could be done in the low-gravity environment of the Space Station. Each teacher selected the class’s best three projects and sent them to a panel of judges from the community. That panel identified the three best overall and sent them to the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE), which runs the SSEP program. NCESSE judges selected the experiment sent to the Space Station in April.

On Egg ShellsNCESSE picked an experiment designed by Vanessa Lugo, Nicolette Markakis, Alexandra Pasamihalis and Madison Pignatelli from Amy Fisher’s eighth-grade class at Phifer. The experiment measured the impact of microgravity on how egg shells dissolve in vinegar.

“Egg shells contain calcium carbonate, which makes them comparable to teeth and bones,” said Ostroff, pointing out the potential benefits of having a greater understanding of how parts of the human body react under different conditions. “This project creates a different kind of challenge for these kids. It takes them into inquiry. They just have to think differently.”

Students from all grades across Pennsauken also had the opportunity to design patches to be sent to the Space Station with the district’s project. The winners were Burling Elementary School fourth-grader Michael Furtado and Phifer eighth-grader Kevin Lu.

Connections in SpacePennsauken was one of 17 communities that partook in this spring’s SSEP. Communities raised enough funding – usually through a variety of sources, often with NCESSE assistance – to support the project. Dow was proud to help make the Pennsauken project possible.

“Dow is delighted to help provide so many students with such an exciting experience,” said Rob Buchler, site leader for Dow’s facility in Pennsauken. “There’s just something about spaceflight that fascinates people, and harnessing that to help kids learn more about science is a great idea.”

NCESSE runs two SSEP programs each year, one beginning in the fall with a spring launch, one beginning in the spring with a fall launch. Pennsauken High School students took part in last year’s spring-to-fall program. Now that the district has learned how valuable the experience can be, organizers hope it can be an annual event.

For additional information about the SSEP, visit www.ssep.ncesse.org.

out of This world pennsauken students send project to international space station

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phifer middle school’s eighth-grade team developed the winning experiment on measuring the effect of microgravity.

dow’s rob buchler

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Highlighting Dow’s ongoing thought- leadership and commitment to the Delaware Valley, Executive Vice President Howard Ungerleider was selected to author the Philadelphia Business Journal’s April 26 “Guest Comment” column on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The text of his commentary follows.

STEM Education Is a Critical Gateway to AdvancementWe hear the discouraging statistics all of the time. Our 15-year-olds rank behind 22 countries in science and 31 countries in math. Less than half of high school graduates are ready for college-level science.

So who really cares about that acronym STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)? One obvious answer is science and technology companies leading the specialty materials industry like Dow. But if the region is to take advantage of all potential opportunities for sustainable growth, the answer goes much deeper.

Revitalizing STEM education and increasing the number of students who choose STEM majors and careers is imperative for our industry and our economy.

There’s no doubt that focus on STEM makes sense. U.S. Department of Education data estimates our nation will need more than 400,000 new STEM graduates by 2015. We are fortunate that just a few years ago we boasted more than 151,400 STEM jobs. That number was 10 percent higher than the national average and equivalent to 5.4 percent of total employment.

Ninety-six percent of all things made start with science. By 2050 there will be over 3 billion more people in the world – sharing natural resources and all in need of more sustainable products, clean water, access to affordable nutrition and affordable housing.

This may be why, according to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, the 20 fastest-growing occupations projected for 2014-15 require significant math or science.

We at Dow became a part of Change the Equation (CTEq) a nonprofit, nonpartisan, CEO-led initiative created in 2010

to mobilize the business community to improve the quality of STEM learning. In 2011, we made a 10-year commitment to build excellence in science education and stimulate collaborative innovation with 11 universities, including Penn State. This is why we support efforts to advance the sciences and make them accessible to broad audiences through activities such as the Philadelphia Science Festival and You Be the Chemist®, an organization that enhances K-8 science education and holds its national competition in Philadelphia every year.

I work for one of the largest science and tech companies and I care about STEM. But moreover, I am a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle and hopefully one day will be ‘pop.’ My natural instinct to make a better world for the next generation is at the core of my interest in STEM. Like me, you might ask, “Who DOESN’T care about science education?”

sTem call to action dow shares philosophies in philadelphia business journal

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howard ungerleider

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1. employees from the philadelphia and spring house chapters of the gays, lesbians and allies at dow employee network participate in the 26th annual aids walk joining tens of thousands of fundraising walkers from across the delaware valley on october 21, 2012. 2. dow joined more than 300 delaware valley business and civic leaders to be recognized as one of the top 25 corporate citizens in the region at the philadelphia business journal’s 2013 corporate philanthropy summit april 25, 2013, which honors organizations and individuals who make a difference in the region. 3. h.h. dowbot captured the minds of students at Temple university–ambler’s earthfest on april 26, 2013, engaging them in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 4. dow employees joined six college students who were awarded scholarships april 28, 2013, for their sTem teamwork and leadership as part of the philadelphia section of women engineers whose mission is to establish engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. 5. parents, teachers and students from bucks, delaware and montgomery counties assembled at dow’s spring house site in march 2013 for an evening of science demonstrations and the local you be The chemist® challenge, an academic question and answer competition created by the chemical educational foundation aimed at engaging students in chemistry through a dynamic event that partners members of the chemical industry with schools and organizations in the communities in which they operate.

focus on community success 1 2

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Like most people on the East Coast, Dow’s Sam Simon, III, was riveted in late October by weather reports of the approaching Hurricane Sandy. While he was concerned about the impact on his family and neighbors, he was just as focused on the job he had to do.

When the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded made landfall October 29, 2012, Sam had already been working for almost a week to ensure that Dow locations throughout the Delaware Valley and Northeast were prepared for the worst that Sandy could unleash.

As an Emergency Services & Security (ES&S) senior technologist at the Dow site in Bristol, Penn., Sam’s job was to help put into practice years of emergency training, making sure every Dow site was secure and ready to weather the super storm.

Committed to Emergency PreparednessPlanning and preparing for the unexpected does not just occur on the eve of a storm, but every day at Dow. There is a commitment to safety that resonates among Dow employees and facilities around the world.

“Dow facilities have comprehensive and well-rehearsed emergency preparedness plans, which are designed to minimize or eliminate production interruptions and to protect the safety and health of our employees, our communities and the environment,” said Zach Dunkelberger, senior ES&S specialist at Dow’s Bristol site.

At the Bristol site, Dow conducts monthly training for leaders who are responsible for immediate response during natural disasters. This crisis support team also gets together semi-annually to do drills using different scenarios, such as hazardous materials response, simulated fires, general medical emergencies and even hurricanes.

As part of Dow’s efforts, an important priority is to work with the community in its preparedness efforts.

“Annually, we do live drills with emergency responders from the community. We include the police, EMS and area fire departments,” said Dunkelberger.

in the eye of the stormdow responds to sandy

“ “Sandy is just one of those storms that you think is ‘once in a lifetime’ – until the next time something comes down the pike. But it’s one of those things that makes you better for the next one.

– Sam Simon, iii

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An example of this engagement is through TRANSCAER® (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response). Founded in 1986 by Union Pacific Railroad and Dow, TRANSCAER® is a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and respond to hazardous material transportation incidents.

“Then there are real events, like Hurricane Sandy,” said Dunkelberger. “Every time there is an emergency, it only helps us better prepare for the next event.”

Before and After the StormThe Wednesday before the storm’s landfall, Dow’s ES&S started receiving reports about the hurricane from the National Weather Service. That same day, ES&S opened its Emergency Operations Center, notified the crisis support teams at each site and started to lead site preparations.

The sites worked quickly in the days before the storm to fill customer orders, in the event of production interruptions. Working with customers, many product orders were shipped out early. Soon after, leaders began to announce facility closings.

“Crews of experienced Dow personnel remained on site around the clock to ensure the safety and security of the facility during the storm and subsequent power outage,” said Rob Buchler, site leader at Dow’s Pennsauken, N.J., location. “I was impressed by and appreciative of the number of employees who stepped up to stay at the site to ensure that the facility was safe – even while their own homes were at risk.”

The wrath of the storm brought severe damage, power outages and tragedy to many individuals and communities in the Northeast, the hardest hit being in New Jersey and New York.

Dow facilities in the region were spared from major damage but were faced with limited power outages. While many employees were affected by the storm conditions at home, their resiliency shined.

Dow and Employees Act Quickly to Support Hurricane Relief Efforts

The devastation left in Superstorm Sandy’s path last october led to insurmountable heartache and loss by many.in the immediate aftermath of the storm, dow locations reached out to local and county officials to offer help. “we wanted to make sure to help if the community needed anything – like help getting generators shipped in from other states. our neighbors were very appreciative of our offers,” said dow’s Sam Simon, iii, emergency Services & Security senior technologist.a week after hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the northeast, dow announced a multi-faceted response plan, providing up to $500,000 in support for victims and communities. This commitment included:• a donation to the american red Cross national disaster fund• an employee matching gift program, where employees’ donations to responding

organizations were matched with an additional dow donation to the red Cross• Community grants for relief and revitalization efforts• Support for long-term rebuilding needs The organizations receiving community grants mobilized volunteers, built partnerships, and provided shelter, meals and essential supplies to meet immediate and long-term relief and revitalization needs. These organizations included: The Christian life Church, Community food Bank of new Jersey, fiSh, inc., food Bank for new york City, hurricane Sandy new Jersey relief fund, long island Volunteer Center, new york Cares and The Salvation army.“The support from dow came rapidly in the aftermath of the storm,” said Gary Bagley, executive director of new york Cares, a new york City-based organization that meets pressing community needs by mobilizing volunteers. “That support allowed us to respond just as quickly to the enormous and urgent need in the affected communities.”

support from dow allowed new york cares to swiftly mobilize volunteers to areas affected by hurricane sandy, helping residents rebuild their homes and communities get back on their feet.

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Throughout the month of April, Delaware Valley employees came together to take action in restoring and enhancing the environment around them.

Hosting four Great American Cleanup events as part of Dow’s longtime partnership with Keep America Beautiful (KAB), Dow volunteers play an integral part in driving this commitment year round.

“Participation from Dow employees and communities continues to grow with each year of our partnership with Keep America Beautiful and we could not be more proud,” said Howard Ungerleider, Keep America Beautiful board member and executive vice president, Dow Advanced Materials. “To Dow, there is no better way to demonstrate our commitment to a healthy planet than to engage our employees in keeping it clean.”

For 25 years, Dow has been supporting KAB, a non-profit organization dedicated to making America’s communities cleaner, greener and more livable. Since 2008, Dow has been a national sponsor of the Great American Cleanup,

the largest community improvement program in the U.S. and signature program of KAB.

Kicking off the cleanups April 13, Dow employees and their families picked up brushes and brooms, painting graffiti stricken walls and sweeping sidewalks with City Year volunteers, as part of the 6th Annual Philly Spring Clean-up.

“Let’s keep up the sweep-up all year long, it’s not a one-time thing,” said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.

Joining Mayor Nutter to energize the crowd included Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson, Deputy Streets Commissioner Donald Carlton, and José Maria Bermudez, North America general manager, Dow Coating Materials.

Along with the City of Philadelphia and more than 45,000 community volunteers, Dow, in conjunction with Behr Paints, donated 1,000 gallons of quality, high hiding exterior paint designed to protect and cover a number of surfaces throughout Philadelphia for the beautification efforts.

great american cleanups keep the region beautiful

volunteers from dow helped keep communities in the delaware valley keep clean by participating in four kab cleanup events in 2013.

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“Dow plays an active role in this community and encourages the collaboration necessary to build a better, stronger, more sustainable Philadelphia,” said Bermudez.

The employees at Dow’s Bristol site who manufacture the crucial ingredients for the donated paint also engaged in their annual Cleanup this spring – the Silver Lake Nature Center’s Earth Day Work Day.

Dow employees helped clean up litter and debris along Silver Lake, a 250-acre natural treasure in Bristol, Penn., in the heart of Bucks County.

“We’ve been doing this for the past few years,” said Lloyd Davis, EH&S specialist at Dow’s Bristol site and board member of the Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center. “With our plant just a half-mile away, they’re our neighbors and we want everyone to be able to enjoy nature.”

Taking care of the environment is not only a passion but a responsibility for Davis. In his role as EH&S specialist, Davis

helps the company remain compliant with environmental regulations and works to reduce emissions and waste.

He also recruits for the cause – encouraging employees and their families to join in the cleanup efforts, as more than 120 volunteers from Dow and other partner organizations volunteered for the Earth Day Work Day this year.

Other cleanups included efforts to improve the wildlife habitat of the Christina River and the 43rd Annual Wissahickon Creek Cleanup.

In addition to the four cleanups, for the first time in the region, Dow challenged local college students from Bucks County Community College, Temple University and Temple University-Ambler to help clean their communities in the College Clean-Up Challenge.

“By partnering with college students, we have brought a fresh perspective and approach to community involvement and it is truly inspiring. These students do great things and it illustrates a burgeoning generation of community-minded citizens,” said Ungerleider.

In total, Dow has 17 student groups from nine institutions across the United States that participated in the challenge.

Dow’s KAB Cleanup activities align with the Company’s 2015 Sustainability Goals and are part of a broader U.S. initiative. In 2012, 4.2 million cleanup volunteers worked to return nearly $230 million in measurable benefits in 20,000 communities across the country, and Dow was a part of that initiative.

jose maria bermudez, north america general manager, dow coating materials, thanks behr paints for its donation of 1,000 gallons of paint, as well as mayor nutter and the city of philadelphia for its continued efforts to collaborate for a cleaner, greener city.

More than 1,000 Dow volunteers beautified their communities through KAB events by planting

over 50,000 flowers and collecting 88,000 pounds of litter.

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At Dow, healthy, vital communities are an essential part of a vision to create a sustainable future. For more than 117 years, Dow has been a part of the communities in which it operates, making an impact through grants, donations and employee volunteerism. History has demonstrated that the health of the company is directly tied to the health of the communities it serves.

In 2013, Dow strengthened its commitment in the Delaware Valley through the revamped DowGives Community Grants program. The Community Grants program streamlines giving guidelines for community grants and sponsorships.

Part of the enhanced DowGives approach includes a new online portal and more strategic guidance related to efforts Dow will support. With these updates, Dow is expecting to

be more intentional about providing funding to organizations that work every day to make a difference in its communities.

“We look to invest in programs and organizations that will have a long-term impact and serve as a starting point for widespread community involvement and growth,” said Justin Land, Dow’s Northeast public affairs manager. “This is an opportunity for all of us to work together.”

Dow focuses its giving to Community Grants in four strategic areas:

• Science in Society supports transformational initiatives that make a difference for students and academic institutions and increases interest in careers and opportunities linked to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)

• Contributing to Community Success promotes job creation, permanent improvement of social infrastructure within a disadvantaged or underprivileged sector of the community or group, and/or provides funding for materials or tools which will be widely available and offer long-term benefits

• Sustainability enhances or protects the natural environment, raises awareness of environmental issues among a broad public audience, and/or links to partnerships that demonstrate the value of sustainability and Dow’s products to society and the environment

• Innovation promotes innovative development and/or application of technology/business models that relate to Dow’s solutions focus on world challenges

Through the new guidance, eligible non-profit organizations can submit community grant applications throughout the year. Applications will be reviewed two more times during 2013, with deadlines on September 15 and November 15.

For additional information and to apply for a community grant or sponsorship in the Delaware Valley, visit www.dow.com/delawarevalley.

‘dowgives’ through community grants

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2013 DowGives Grant Cyclea new online application system for non-profit organizations requesting grants through the dowGives Community Grant process has the following grant deadlines:

april 15 • September 15 • november 15 Go to www.dow.com/delawarevalley for more information.

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Lunch break is usually the time when people take a break from the daily grind. But once a week, employees at Dow’s Philadelphia office use their lunch hour to explore the adventures of Curious George or learn what’s making The Grouchy Ladybug so unhappy. This is the time when employees work with local students as part of the Philadelphia Reads program.

Philadelphia Reads is an effort to strengthen the literacy skills of the city’s youngest and neediest school children, by providing mentors and resources for in-school and out-of-school programs.

“It is a wonderful opportunity for our employees to give back to the community in a personal way,” said Caroline Cronin, Dow business information systems manager. “Not only do the kids get valuable attention to help their reading skills, but our employees really love that they are making a difference in kids’ lives.”

Every Monday, from October to May, first-graders from Philadelphia-area schools visit Dow during the employee lunch hour to get much needed one-on-one attention for reading skills.

Cronin serves on the Philadelphia Reads Board of Directors and organizes the mentor efforts with Dow, which is in its 12th year of involvement as a Power Partner with the program.

Dow’s involvement in Philadelphia Reads, said Cronin, is an investment in the community’s foundation: its people.

“We already know that one in seven adults in this country can’t read,” said Cronin. “If people can’t read, they can’t understand a newspaper, a book or a bus schedule, and they can’t fill out a job application.”

This year, about 3,800 volunteers will donate more than 51,000 hours of one-to-one mentoring time to students in the Philadelphia Reads program. And it’s never enough, according to Cronin.

“We always need people who want to give back to the community,” said Cronin. “Think of the gift you can give to children by helping them learn to read. These kids deserve to be thrilled by Harry Potter, to be fascinated by science and history. They deserve to know the joy of reading as much as the power of reading. Kids can’t dream big dreams unless they’re filling their heads with books.”

Learn more about Philadelphia Reads at www.philareads.org.

raising a city of readersdow employees help philadelphia read

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left: dow volunteers and local students in the philly reads program and h.h. dowbot celebrate the importance of reading.

right: h.h. dowbot, a robot with a passion for science who was unveiled at the philadelphia science festival, reads to students at dow’s philadelphia office as part of the philly reads program.

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The game seems simple for this group of high school students from Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Penn., who call themselves Team 341.

It’s called Ultimate Ascent and the premise is to pick up Frisbees from the floor and shoot them over 12-foot goals. The team that scores the most goals wins. What’s at stake? A reign as champion and eternal glory for a team of 60 students who have given six weeks of blood, sweat and tears to develop a winning machine.

Oh, and the “machine” is an actual, working robot designed and built by teenagers.

Completing its 14th year, Team 341 is an after-school program where high school students design and build complex machines, learn business skills and travel around the nation and globe, competing in contests with their robotic creations. Since 2003, the team has been supported by Dow.

“The sponsorship is a really nice connection for the kids to see real-life applications of science, math and engineering in the real world,” said Alan Ostrow, Team 341 coach and physics instructor at Wissahickon High School.

Team 341, Ostrow explains, is one of more than 2,000 teams throughout the country that compete in robotics competitions, sponsored by FIRST®. In these events, teams and robots square off in head-to-head, sports-style games, such as this year’s choice, Ultimate Ascent.

Championships are always top of mind for Alan and the team, but more importantly, the goal is to teach kids the world of possibilities through learning.

“We want to inspire kids to go into math, science and technology fields,” said Ostrow. “Building robots as a team is a great way to create those connections to the community and to be a responsible citizen.”

Inspiring kids through robotics has yielded an impressive track record for Team 341. In 2012 alone, the team racked up an impressive 87 wins against 12 losses (and one tie) to go with six championships. With about 60 students participating in the team each year, Ostrow credits the diversity of the team for its juggernaut status.

“They come to the team with a lot of different skill sets,” he said. “We’ve got an animation team, a media team, computer team ... you need a lot of artists, athletes, computer geeks, shop kids. You need diversity for the team to be successful.”

While “on-court success” is important to Ostrow, he’s proudest of the achievements of his students once they have graduated and moved on to college and beyond. He notes many former team members who have gone into careers in science and technology and notes Dow’s contributions have helped make it possible.

“We definitely appreciate what Dow has done for us,” said Ostrow. “The Company’s help over the years in different ways has allowed Team 341 to succeed, to learn and to grow.”

In addition to having Team 341 members participate on a Community Advisory Council, Dow has provided grants to build a mobile museum and a traveling robot exhibit.

“We’ve done science presentations with people from Dow,” said Ostrow. “And we’ve also had electricians from Dow help wire up our off-season events. We couldn’t be more grateful for the relationship and what it provides these students.”

rise robots, rise!students earn national honors in robotics

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“ “A lot of our kids go into engineering and science. Even the kids that don’t pursue those careers and go into business or art, though, gain an appreciation of what it takes to build a machine.

– alan ostrow, Team 341 coach and physics instructor

wissahickon high school’s Team 341 is congratulated by president barack obama in 2010.

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John NeedlesTechnologist Leader

Newark, Del.

People use countless electronic devices these days, and John Needles has a hand in virtually all of them. Needles, a 15-year Dow employee, organizes

the production of slurry, a component in Dow polishing pads that are used to make tiny memory circuits found in many handheld devices and mobile telephones. Needles’ organizational skills also come in handy as the leader of the Newark Social Club, a group that plans activities such as fishing trips, holiday parties and community service projects for Dow employees and their families. “The Newark Social Club is a great way for people to try something they’ve always wanted to do, and to get to know their fellow Dow employees and their families outside work,” said Needles.

Sam Simon IIISenior Emergency Services & Security Technician

Bristol, Penn.

Helping people in times of trouble is something of a family tradition for Sam Simon III, a third-generation

fire chief who has more than 24 years of fire service experience. In his 12th year as a shift fire chief for the Dow

Emergency Services and Security Department in Bristol, Simon is responsible for managing a variety of incidents for the company throughout North America. Simon also is a Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER®) instructor and travels around the country with the TRANSCAER® safety train, teaching community first responders about transportation emergencies.

Joe Colonna Foam Head Operator

Pennsauken, Penn.

Making buildings more energy- efficient has widespread benefits, and an important tool in that effort is the rigid insulation

boards that Joe Colonna helps produce. Colonna runs a machine that combines several materials to form boards that become TUFF-R™ and THERMAX™ Brand Insulation. He can produce hundreds of different variations of width, length and thickness. In his five years at Dow, Colonna has come to appreciate the way company leaders empower employees. “They give a lot of responsibility to operators,” said Colonna. “We’re told what the needed result is, and then we’re given the freedom to figure out how to get there. If we can show them that our way is going to be safe and effective, they’re okay with it.” ® ™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow

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“It’s not about the number of lives you touch; it’s about the number of lives you change.”

That’s how Jill Michal, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, views the role of her organization.

“United Way’s role in the community is to mobilize the collective power of donors, advocates and volunteers to drive measurable results that improve people’s lives,” said Michal. “Together, our actions have an impact that none of us could achieve alone.”

Supporting United Way has been a tradition of Dow in North America since the early 20th century. Helping neighbors and communities is one of the company’s proudest traditions – a tradition that is visible in the Delaware Valley all year long.

Dow employees donate their time and make financial contributions to United Way affiliates with the result being a vital impact on local communities. These organizations include United Way of Bucks County, United Way of

Delaware and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

“Dow’s long-standing partnership with United Way is built on the expectation that each of us makes a commitment to participate to make a difference,” said Howard Ungerleider, executive vice president, Dow Advanced Materials.

A Campaign with an ImpactEvery fall, Dow employees have an opportunity through two-week United Way campaigns to help families in local communities on projects that impact education, income stability, and healthcare.

The campaigns bring together employees and community partners throughout the Delaware Valley and typically involve activities to educate employees about the impact of their donations and volunteer opportunities.

Campaign events may involve food, a little fun, and always the generous hearts of Dow people. Examples include penny wars, bake sales, raffles, talent shows, poker tournaments, a cook-offs, drawings and incentives to increase awareness, contributions, and recognition of first-day donors.

A new competitive tradition kicked off in 2012: two trophies were created to pass between winning Dow sites annually. The trophies are awarded for the largest percentage increase in total contributions and the greatest rise in participation over the previous year. The Bristol, Penn., site took home both trophies.

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“ “When we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all. That’s what it means to ‘Live United.’ And Dow people exemplify this.

–Gerald rocha Sr., United way of delaware

left: members of the bristol/croydon team gather around their united way trophies: (seated, left to right) dinorah craven, shelley johnson and linda kervick; (standing, left to right) craig bunce, mark reinmiller, jeffrey bretz and shawn gibson.

right: dow volunteers meet at lewis elkin elementary for united way’s first annual community cares day: (left to right, back) ivan morales, joe schwartz, dave rusenko (united way), sylvia connor, steve Torriero; (left to right, front) carolina joya, bolatito ajayi, rebecca kerster, lindsay Torriero, jenny schwartz and julie roehrig (united way).

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“Our site employees united together to exceed the site’s total contribution goal by an amazing 20 percent. We also hit a record rate of 80 percent participation during this campaign,” said Dinorah Craven, Dow quality coordinator and 2012 campaign chair at the Bristol/Croydon site.

Giving Time“We appreciate Dow’s commitment – because the more Dow allows its employees to participate, the more they become connected to our work,” said Gerald Rocha Sr., senior associate for resource development, United Way of Delaware. “Every dollar counts, but what is just as valuable is time.”

United Way Day of Caring events also allow Dow employees to help others through hands-on activities. Some of the Dow volunteer Day of Caring projects included:

• Emmaus House of Newark, where volunteers completed projects including organizing and cleaning out a large garage and doing landscaping projects for the Homeward Bound effort that provides shelter to the homeless

• Newark Senior Center, where a group repaired lights, built permanent shelving and repaired a shed

• Food Bank of Delaware, where volunteers packed and assembled meals, sorted donated food items, painted and cleaned a loft and storage shed

• Lewis Elkin Elementary School in North Philadelphia, where employees and friends painted hallways at the school

“Many employees who volunteered said they felt good about helping our community neighbors,” said Kelly Block, campaign co-chair at the Newark, Del., site. “Some employees would like to bring their children to next year’s volunteer events so they might understand the importance of taking care of our neighbors.”

Continuing to show support at a leadership level, Carol Eicher, Dow’s Coatings and Construction business president, was also recently named to the board of United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

“After volunteering with United Way for more than 30 years, I’m looking forward to strengthening our partnership in this region,” said Eicher.

“Dow’s commitment to United Way is vital – from the corporate level, to Delaware Valley leadership, and the employees at each site,” said Rocha. “That support helps United Way be a catalyst for social change in the areas of education, income and health, which we feel are the building blocks to a good life.”

newark employees raised money for the united way by refurbishing a 1993 acura integra and entering the “24 hours of lemons for life.”

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Born of a common purpose and nurtured by common goals, Dow and Habitat for Humanity have developed one of the world’s great philanthropic collaborations.

What began as an employee-led grassroots effort in 1983 has grown into one of Dow’s proudest corporate citizenship endeavors.

This multi-faceted collaboration has evolved over three decades into a commitment by Dow to share all the best it has to offer: Passionate employee volunteers; leading insulation solutions; a steadfast financial commitment and a strong focus on sustainability.

Employee PassionDow is a global company with strong local roots. The men and women of Dow place great value on working alongside their neighbors to make far away countries and local Dow hometowns better places to live and work. In 2012, more than 700 employee volunteers provided more than 3,000 volunteer hours of service to help families around the world realize the dream of owning a home.

Insulation SolutionsDow’s business objective is to solve world problems using leading edge technology and chemistry. The company puts this goal to practice by helping to build stable and secure Habitat homes. The foundation of this commitment is STYROFOAM™ brand insulation in addition to GREAT STUFF™ Window & Door Insulating Foam Sealant, GREAT STUFF PRO™ Insulating Foam Sealants, and GREAT STUFF™ Work Wipes. Dow has donated more than $40 million in products during the course of the partnership.

dow and habitat30 years of building Together

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Financial Commitment Dow supplements its product contributions with financial donations that have helped provide safe housing in more than 24 regions worldwide including Africa, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe and the Delaware Valley. In 2012, Dow’s financial contributions supported new and revitalized homes for 215 families around the globe.

Sustainable SolutionsUsing Dow-donated products can translate into energy savings for the home owner of up to 70-80 percent on the average electric bill, reducing emissions of CO2 and greenhouse gases, and further enhancing the long-term financial prospects of Habitat families and homeowners.

Learn more about Dow’s commitment to Habitat for Humanity at www.dow.com/habitat.® ™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow

as the plane approached the airport, the jaw-dropping reality of haiti’s poverty stunned even those who knew what they had signed up for.

“you see the pictures on TV of shantytowns, and i was kind of expecting that, but i wasn’t expecting it to go on and on for miles,” recalled dow employee Brad Blanchard, part of a nine-person team sponsored by dow that traveled to the impoverished Caribbean nation last fall for a habitat for humanity building blitz. for eight days, this band of volunteers sawed, nailed, pounded and painted. when it was over, they left the place just a little better off than when they arrived.

former president Jimmy Carter organizes a habitat blitz build such as this one every year, rallying hundreds of volunteers and contributors from across america and around the globe. Carter chose haiti as the site of both the 2011 and 2012 blitz builds because of the continuing effects of earthquakes, hurricanes and years of economic and political headwinds. The nation is in tatters. But its people push on.

The habitat plan was to build 100 houses in eight days. more than 600 volunteers were divided into teams of about a dozen people, each team working on two houses at a time. The volunteers worked all day at the construction site, then took buses to a nearby sleeping area supplied with tents, security personnel and other necessities.

The dow volunteer group worked on two houses near the ones being built by president Carter and his team, which included country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha yearwood. Some of the volunteers had construction experience, but most just worked hard and did whatever was asked of them. There was one power saw station for every 16 houses, so most of the work was done by hand. Steadily, the houses rose.

The hard work and trying conditions were worth it, Blanchard said, because now there are 100 families living in a pleasant, safe community.

“i’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Blanchard said. “after a week of cold showers and long days and living in tents, i was glad to get back to the states, but all of us said we would go back again.”

dow’s sponsorship made it possible for the nine-person team to take part in the haiti project, and six of the team members were dow employees, including Bo miller, the company’s global director of corporate citizenship and president of The dow Chemical Company foundation.

“i can’t tell you how proud i am to work with people who are willing to do so much, time and time again, to make the world a better place,” said miller. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Help for Haiti – Volunteers Help a Struggling Nation Get Building

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John Calderaio has a way of putting the technology of paint into proper perspective.

“People rely on paint – this very thin layer of chemicals – to protect the hundreds of thousands of dollars they’ve invested in their homes. That’s a lot of faith placed in a can of paint.”

Calderaio said the trust is well placed, and he should know. For 11 years, Calderaio has managed Dow’s Spring House Paint Farm, an exposure weather station located on a 100-year-old farm 20 miles north of Philadelphia, Penn.

Watching Paint Dry Known in Dow circles simply as “the Farm,” the Spring House Exterior Exposure Station is the largest of Dow’s 20 exposure sites worldwide. More than 30,000 panels – wood, brick, concrete and more – along with 120,000 paint exposures, are fixed to fences that stretch across six acres. And that is the point of the Farm: to expose paints to the elements of nature over time.

“There is no accelerated weathering technique or technology that can predict real world durability of paint like Mother Nature,” said Calderaio. “We let her do her job and then we observe what happens.”

Serving the Paint IndustryThe Farm provides a vital service to paint manufacturers, who send their scientists to the facility as many as 85 times a year. The scientists often come for training or to check the durability of their paints compared to competitors. And many come for technical reviews, or collaborative discussions with Dow scientists about new Dow coatings technologies.

In the last 20 years, the Farm has been a leading innovator in reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), helping drive down the level of VOCs from more than 400 grams per liter to nearly 0 grams.

And most recently, the Farm has helped develop technology that replaces costly titanium dioxide – a pigment that makes paints bright and white – without impacting performance.

Calderaio said that while the paint industry evolves more slowly than others, the Farm is exactly where he wants to be. “No one goes to college to be a paint scientist,” he said. “But once you find this profession, you quickly learn just how much science and technology are in a can of paint.”

dow paint farm specializes in harvesting innovation

john calderaio (left), manager of the spring house paint farm, and glenn berry, a 30-year veteran of the exposure program, assess a few of the more than 120,000 paint exposures at the farm.

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Innovation has always been the cornerstone of Dow’s success, but not even Herbert H. Dow himself could have imagined how Dow ingenuity would touch everyday lives in 2013. Case in point: food.

Innovations from Dow in the Delaware Valley allow people with gluten allergies to enjoy breads and pastas, add fiber to nutrition bars and baked goods, and assist in food manufacture by keeping processes hot and cold.

Going Gluten FreeDow has developed several food additives that improve the healthfulness of many of the things we eat. WELLENCE™ Gluten Free mimics the characteristics of gluten in pasta, baked goods and similar items, giving gluten-free foods a level of taste and moistness that was once unheard of.

Many people with celiac disease, a severe condition linked to an autoimmune reaction to foods that contain gluten, had given up on enjoying such foods. Now they can dig in.

WELLENCE™ Fat Reduction, meanwhile, reduces the fat content in bakery and meat products by up to 60 percent, and can allow the replacement of saturated and hydrogenated fats with healthier oils, and all without sacrificing taste or texture.

Fiber Forever!With FORTEFIBER™ Soluble Dietary Fiber, many common foods can be made higher in fiber. FORTEFIBER™ provides consumers with an easy and convenient way to incorporate more fiber into their diets to stay healthy without cutting out the tastier things in life.

FORTEFIBER™ is a 100 percent soluble dietary fiber that delivers a combination of health and functional benefits. Common uses for FORTEFIBER™ include nutrition bars, baked goods, drinks and chews that offer cholesterol control and a reduced glycemic response (or the ability to affect blood sugar levels).

Going Hot and ColdSometimes, Dow technology isn’t in the food, it’s used to protect it. DOWFROST™ Heat Transfer Fluids are used

in breweries, wineries, dairies and other food processing operations where cooling or heating of food items is necessary.

DOWFROST™ is also used in the freezing process of wrapped meat, poultry, fish, seafood and vegetables. These technologies provide more consistent and faster freezing than other methods, help decrease bacteria, improve appearance and extend shelf life.

For more information about these and other products made by Dow, go to www.dow.com. ® ™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow

let’s eat!dow products find Their way to foods

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