Derek Hileman

Derek Hileman

Derek Hileman was named the vice president, technology & innovation in July 2021.

Hileman joined Praxair Surface Technologies in 2000 as a process engineer. After varying roles of increasing responsibility, he evaluated and managed the startup of a new, electroless nickel plating plant while based in Dusseldorf, Germany. In 2008, Hileman was transferred to Singapore to run Praxair’s onsite global electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) coating facility at GE Aviation. He expanded Singapore operations in 2010, which culminated in a stand-alone coating plant that offers thermal spray coatings for the aviation and oil / gas industries. As Singapore general manager for Praxair, Hileman was named a recipient of the WSHPA Silver award from the Singaporean Ministry of Manpower in recognition of Praxair’s leadership in safety. In 2011, Hileman returned to the US, where he was based in Hartford, Connecticut, as director of sales for the company’s Aviation Coating Services business. In 2013, Hileman was named general manager for the EBPVD business and was promoted to managing director when the JV closed in 2016. In 2017 he was promoted to vice president & managing director of PG Technologies.

Hileman earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a M.S. in Engineering Management from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.