Hans R. Dorfi is a global innovation and technology executive with over two decades of experience in leadership roles in the U.S. and Europe driving large-scale transformation in the polymer and mobility sectors. As Senior Vice President at Bridgestone Americas, he led the transformation of the product and technology portfolio, pioneering digital innovation, sustainability, and advanced materials for next generation products.

A champion of open innovation and ecosystem building, Hans has been an invited speaker at technology conferences and held board roles in startups, academic-industry consortia, and non-profits. He is currently the board chair of the Bounce Innovation Hub and served on the leadership team of the Polymer Industry Cluster.

Hans holds advanced engineering degrees from The Ohio State University and Vienna University of Technology and has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Akron and industry advisor to institutions such as Stanford, The Ohio State University and Virginia Tech.

As a long-time resident of Akron, Hans is committed to driving economic growth within the region with a global perspective, deep technical knowledge, and a track record of aligning cross-sector partners. His passion for innovation and commercialization makes him uniquely suited to lead PIC’s bold vision for Greater Akron as a global hub for next-generation polymer technologies.