OKLAHOMA CITY - Kerr-McGee Chemical LLC has named John B. Talpas vice president of Global Pigment Operations, with responsibility for overall direction of the company's pigment-manufacturing operations worldwide. Those operations include titanium dioxide plants in Hamilton, MS; Mobile, AL; Australia; Germany; and Belgium.

Talpas was formerly site-development manager for Panda Energy, and previously was vice president of Manufacturing for Great Lakes Chemical Co. He also held various positions over a 23-year period with Occidental Chemical Corp. and Diamond Shamrock Corp.