Philip Blake, President of Bayer Corporation and Head of the Americas Region for Pharmaceuticals, has been recognized in STEMconnector's® 100 CEO Leaders in STEMpublication.

STEMconnector®, the one-stop shop for "who is doing what" in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and careers, released the publication during the Global STEM Talent Summit held at Gallup's world headquarters.

100 CEO Leaders in STEM features Chief Executive Officers who offer their unique perspectives on issues facing America's STEM workforce. As visionaries, their insights on the challenges and opportunities surrounding a diverse, strong, STEM pipeline will drive action moving forward.

"I am pleased and honored that Bayer's long-standing focus on STEM is being recognized," said Blake. "With the life science fields of health care and agriculture being at the forefront of Bayer's competencies, we understand how important STEM education and careers are to our company's success."

Although Blake has held various leadership roles during his 30-plus years at Bayer, including positions in global strategic product marketing, business development, clinical planning, product development and sales management, he is particularly proud of his work to promote Making Science Make Sense®, Bayer's presidential award-winning, company-wide STEM education initiative that advances science literacy through hands-on, inquiry-based science learning. Not only has he been a staunch supporter of employee involvement in MSMS, he also has advocated for increased STEM-education awareness on a national level.

Blake's advocacy has included engaging U.S. Senators and Congressmen, the U.S. Department of Education, and other state and local political leaders on the importance of science literacy to schools and the workforce. InOctober 2015, Blake was invited to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama as part of a discussion on the role of science literacy in America's schools.

According to STEMconnector®, leaders of major companies, such as Blake, who are involved in STEM fields are uniquely positioned to provide exemplary leadership on issues such as fostering a more inclusive STEM workforce and gender disparities in STEM.

"Careers in STEM industries offer better compensation and more career advancement opportunities. Women who hold STEM positions earn 92 cents to the dollar versus 77 cents for women in other fields," said Lorna Donatone, Chief Executive Officer of Sodexo Schools Worldwide.

In addition, Edie Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of STEMconnector® shared, "We are proud to highlight 100 CEO leaders and recognize their leadership and excellence. The role of CEOs becomes critical to business and innovation. These role models are change leaders. Special thanks to Lorena Fimbres, VP & Chief Business Development Officer, and team, for leading this series and contributing to STEMconnector®'s position at the forefront of STEM thought leadership."

Each Chief Executive Officer in 100 CEO Leaders in STEM is profiled across a two-page spread featuring their thought-provoking reflections on how STEM education, workforce development, public-private partnerships, and diversity in STEM will influence the national conversation regarding these issues. 100 CEO Leaders in STEM is a STEMconnector® publication sponsored by Diversified Search, Sodexo, Tata Consultancy Services, and Walmart. To access the full publication visit http://stemconnector.org/100-ceo-leaders-in-stem-v2

About Bayer Corporation

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their lives. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted toEUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.us.

About STEMconnector®

STEMconnector® is a consortium of over 150 companies, associations, academic institutions and government entities actively working to advance STEM education and the future of human capital. STEMconnector® is both a resource and a service, designed to link "all things STEM." STEMconnector®'s network includes organizations at the global, national, state and local levels. Our work spans the entire pipeline (Kindergarten to Jobs) and how STEM education experiences translate into careers. STEMconnector® has a particular emphasis on diversity and women. For information on how to become a member, contact Lorena Fimbres atLorena.Fimbres@STEMconnector.org.