Ascend’s General Counsel Honored

HOUSTON – August 15, 2011 — Mr. Andrew Ralston, Ascend’s Vice President and General Counsel, has been selected by the Houston Business Journal as one of five finalists for the 2011 Best Solo Corporate Counsel Award.

Finalists were nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges that included John Allen, former executive vice president and general counsel of Paradigm BV; Phillip Choyce, vice president and general counsel of NOV Grant Prideco; J. Bradley Green, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Carriage Services Inc.;Michael Linn, executive chairman of Linn Energy LLC; and William Vastine, former vice president of law for Weatherford International Ltd.

Andrew has 20 years of in-house and law firm legal experience, specializing in representing companies in the chemical and downstream energy industries such as Westlake Chemical Corporation and Condea Vista Company.

Andrew graduated with honors from the University of Texas with a BA in Accounting and received his JD from Baylor University School of Law, where he was Senior Editor of the Baylor Law Review, and a member of Phi Delta Phi Honor Society.

The winners will be revealed at an awards dinner September 7 in Houston.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: ASCEND PERFORMANCE MATERIALS is a trademark of Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC. This trademark has been registered in jurisdictions throughout the world, including the United States of America and the European Community.

About Ascend Performance Materials Oerations LLC

Ascend is a global leader in proprietary technologies that are central to the production of nylon, plastics and synthetic fibers found in thousands of commercial and industrial products, including carpet, tires and apparel, as well as agricultural products, animal feed and personal care products. The business has world scale integrated manufacturing facilities which enables it to develop new products from its core technologies, and provides flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of its customers. Ascend has sales offices throughout the world, and five manufacturing facilities in the United States. More information is available at www.ascendmaterials.com. SK Capital Partners are indirect partial owners of Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC.

About SK Capital Partners

SK Capital Partners, led by Managing Directors Barry Siadat, Jamshid Keynejad, Jim Marden, Jack Norris, and Aaron Davenport, is a transformational private investment firm focusing on acquiring assets in which its partners have deep industry knowledge through previous investments and experience, and the ability deploy substantive operational strategies to unlock value and deliver superior returns. These industries include niche segments of the specialty materials, chemicals and healthcare sectors. More information is available at www.skcapitalpartners.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates” or “anticipates,” or other comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about the industries in which Ascend operates. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or achievements to be materially different from the future results or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statement. Ascend disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in response to new information, unforeseen events, changed circumstances or any other occurrence.

Source: Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC

Houston

8/15/11

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