Alumni

Lichtenberger was born in Novi Sad, Serbia, and immigrated to the United States with his family at age 15. He received a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Iowa, then began work with the Linde Division of Union Carbide in Tonawanda, N.Y. While there, he received an MBA from UB, taking classes at night. He continually advanced throughout his career with Union Carbide, serving as vice president, general manager and president of several different divisions of the company until being named president, chief operating officer and director of Union Carbide in 1990. Two years later, he was named chair and CEO of Praxair Inc. (now Linde), a worldwide industrial gases company that spun off from Union Carbide. In 2001, UB awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in recognition of his business accomplishments. The H. William Lichtenberger Lecture Hall in the School of Management is named in honor of his philanthropy.