10 Westlake engineering leaders
Chris Higganbotham, Director of Engineering at Westlake, opens this list of Westlake engineering leaders, who also include directors of engineering at Westlake Pipe & Fittings and Westlake Royal Building Products and directors of plant engineering, reliability and technology. A reader can learn how engineering leaders work at Westlake from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Ben Drone, PE
LinkedInExperience: Director - Engineering · Westlake
Ben Drone is a former Director - Engineering at Westlake, a role held from 2017 to 2023, based in Westlake, Louisiana, and the profile headline reads Retired Director - Engineering at Westlake Chemical. Ben Drone was Plant Manager at Axiall, a Westlake Company from 2009 to 2013 and Engineering Manager there from 2002 to 2009.
Chris Higganbotham, P.E.
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Westlake
Chris Higganbotham has been Director of Engineering at Westlake since November 2023, based in Houston, Texas. Chris Higganbotham was Principal Engineer/Sr. Project Manager at Westlake Epoxy from 2022 to 2023, Manager, US Epoxy Projects & Engineering at Hexion Inc. from 2008 to 2022 and Technical Manager at Kuraray America, Inc. from 2005 to 2008.
Eric Sevebeck
LinkedInExperience: Director - Reliability · Westlake
Eric Sevebeck has been Director - Reliability at Westlake since April 2023, based in the Greater Houston area, and the profile describes global reliability responsibility for all Westlake manufacturing facilities. Eric Sevebeck was Director - Reliability, North America at Westlake from 2018 to 2023, SAP Plant Maintenance Business Lead there from 2017 to 2018 and Director EHS&S / PSM there from 2016 to 2017.
Joel Perritt
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Technology · Westlake
Joel Perritt has been Director Of Technology at Westlake since March 2022, based in Longview, Texas, and the profile headline reads Director of PE Technology at Westlake. Joel Perritt was Technical Services Manager at Westlake from 2018 to 2022, a Product Development Specialist there from 2012 to 2018 and a Technical Service Engineer there from 1998 to 2012.
Kevin Yelle
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Engineering · Westlake Pipe & Fittings
Kevin Yelle has been Director Of Engineering at Westlake Pipe & Fittings since January 2019, based in Mansfield, Texas. Kevin Yelle was Manufacturing Manager East Region at Westlake Pipe & Fittings from 2015 to 2019, Director of Engineering - North Division at James Hardie from 2013 to 2014 and a Plant Manager III at James Hardie from 2008 to 2011.
Pat Goree
LinkedInExperience: Director IE&C Reliability, NA · Westlake
Pat Goree has been Director IE&C Reliability, NA at Westlake since September 2022, based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and the profile headline reads Director - Instrument, Electric and Controls for North America - Westlake Corporation. Pat Goree was IE&C Manager - Lake Charles at Westlake Chemical from 2017 to 2022, a DCS Supervisor at Westlake from 1998 to 2006 and a DCS Engineer there from 1994 to 1998.
Peter-Paul Daniels
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Projects, Engineering and Technology · Westlake
Peter-Paul Daniels is a former Vice President Projects, Engineering and Technology at Westlake, a role held from 2022 to 2025, based in the Randstad, Netherlands. Peter-Paul Daniels has been Director Global Manufacturing - Specialty & Silicones at PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) since February 2025 and was Vice President - Projects, Engineering and Technology at Hexion Inc. from 2019 to 2022.
Rodney Gremillion
LinkedInExperience: Director Plant Engineering & Maintenance Excellence · Axiall, a Westlake Company
Rodney Gremillion has been Director Plant Engineering & Maintenance Excellence at Axiall, a Westlake Company since December 2013, based in Plaquemine, Louisiana. Rodney Gremillion was Maintenance & Engineering Manager at Axiall, a Westlake Company from 2005 to 2013, and the profile headline places the role at Axiall Corporation.
Wayne Buoni
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering Stone and Roofing solutions · Westlake Royal Building Products
Wayne Buoni has been Director of Engineering Stone and Roofing solutions at Westlake Royal Building Products since October 2021, based in the Atlanta area. Wayne Buoni was Director of Engineering & Innovation - Boral Stone Products at Boral from 2017 to 2021, Director of Engineering & Innovation - Cladding at Boral from 2014 to 2017 and Innovation and Engineering Leader at Owens Corning from 2006 to 2012.
William Henshaw
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Westlake Royal Building Products
William Henshaw is a former Director of Engineering at Westlake Royal Building Products, a role held from 2023 to 2025, and the profile says it oversaw capital, product management and strategic operations initiatives across 12 facilities in the Siding and Trim Business. William Henshaw has held a director of engineering role at Watts Water Technologies since May 2025, based in Lititz, Pennsylvania.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's area, such as capital projects, plant engineering, reliability, controls or a building products business, to the decision you face. Check whether each role is current or has ended, and when it started, to judge how recent the person's view is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your current engineering role, and why?
- 02How do you decide which reliability and capital projects to put first?
- 03What has your own work taught you about keeping plants reliable while running capital projects?
Reaching Westlake engineering leaders
How can I contact one of these Westlake engineering leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 4 companies, including Westlake; Westlake Pipe & Fittings and Axiall, a Westlake Company, based on profile data retrieved on October 23, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Westlake engineering leaders?
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Can an AI agent ask one of these Westlake engineering leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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