Hemlock Semiconductor Operations (HSC)  has named Keith Carey as its new chief information officer.

Carey, 56, succeeds Kirk Royster, who will focus on continued implementation of strategic projects before retiring at the end of 2020.

A graduate of Hemlock High School, Carey began his career at HSC in 1981 as one of the first two high school co-op students brought in by the polysilicon producer. He moved from shipping and receiving to manufacturing operations, and then to breaking up the polysilicon rods HSC produced into chunks. In 1986, he moved to HSC's Science & Technology division and began doing more information technology work.

In 1996, he moved to Dow Corning, a parent company of HSC, where he held various roles in IT and Supply Chain and traveled the world as part of Dow Corning's Global Automation Team. He left shortly after Dow bought out Dow Corning in 2016 and returned to HSC as its IT manager in 2017. He has been HSC's director of IT since August 2018.

HSC Chairman and CEO Mark Bassett said Carey brings a wealth of IT knowledge and both an insider and an outsider's perspective to HSC. "Keith has been an innovator and a leader during his long career, and we're fortunate he wanted to return to HSC," Bassett said. "He cares deeply about the Hemlock community and about HSC being a good neighbor in every way, from safety to sustainability. And he embodies the culture we're trying to build here, focusing on the team and on coaching and developing people throughout the organization."

Carey holds a degree in computer information systems and computer science from Saginaw Valley State University.