Steve Kirk
Steve Kirk
Executive in Residence; Former COO; Former Board Chair
Cleveland State University; Lubrizol; Valvoline
Following his retirement from Lubrizol in December 2011, Steve Kirk joined Cleveland State University as Executive in Residence in the Monte Ahuja College of Business. In this volunteer role he works primarily with the Executive MBA program as Leadership Coach and helps prepare students in the program for senior level leadership and executive positions.
Steve enjoyed a 43-year career at Lubrizol, a global $6 billion Fortune 500 Company. He was elected Chief Operating Officer in 2008, leading over 6,500 people, half of them overseas and half working in the United States (with ~2,000 in the Greater Cleveland area). Prior to that, he served as President of Lubrizol Additives. He joined LZ as a co-op/intern in 1968 and full time in 1972, and enjoyed roles in engineering, sales and marketing until being elected Corporate Vice President in 1993. Lubrizol was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2011.