Vice Chairman
James P. Clappin was appointed vice chairman in April 2020. In this role, Clappin is responsible for designing and leading the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). In addition, he assists the CEO and other SLT members in redesigning and implementing various corporate governance processes and structural changes to support the successful implementation of the new organization.
Clappin joined Corning Incorporated in 1980 as a process engineer at the Central Falls, Rhode Island, manufacturing plant. He transitioned to GTE Corporation in 1983 when the facility was sold and returned to Corning in 1988. He served in a variety of manufacturing management roles in the consumer products division and began working in the display business in 1994.
In 1996, Clappin relocated to Japan as plant manager at Corning’s Shizuoka manufacturing facility. He then progressed through a number of management leadership positions with increasing responsibilities, leading to his appointment as general manager of the Corning Display Technologies (CDT) worldwide business in 2002.
From 2005 through 2010, Clappin was president of CDT, with responsibility for all business and manufacturing operations across the division’s five regions: Japan, Korea, the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and the United States. Throughout his tenure in CDT, the demand for LCD glass grew exponentially with the focus of the display industry moving from applications for notebook computers and desktop monitors to small portable devices and LCD television. In response to market demand, Clappin oversaw the expansion of Corning’s display business across Asia, including the launch of CDT’s business in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, and the introduction of several of the world’s largest fully integrated LCD glass manufacturing plants. Under his leadership, CDT’s sales increased by a factor of seven between 2002 and 2010.
Clappin’s organization has also led the development of new technologies for advanced displays and mobile devices. These include the award-winning, environmentally friendly EAGLE XG® Glass substrates, Corning® Gorilla® Glass, Corning Lotus™ NXT Glass substrates for OLED and high-performance displays, Corning® Astra™ Glass for high-performance tablets, notebooks, and 8K TVs, and Corning Iris™ Glass, which further developed Corning’s expertise in light management for emerging applications.
Prior to his current role, Clappin served as executive vice president of Corning Glass Technologies (CGT) comprising Display Technologies, Precision Materials, High-Performance Displays, and Specialty Materials, which includes Gorilla® Glass and Advanced Optics. In addition to business leadership, he had responsibility for glass-related manufacturing and technology.
Clappin holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rhode Island. He was recognized in 2013 with a Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Rhode Island’s College of Engineering, and again in 2020 with a URI’s President’s Distinguished Achievement Award.
