FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * STEPAN F QUINN JR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol STEPAN CO [SCL] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman, President & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 22 W. FRONTAGE ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/15/2016 (Street) NORTHFIELD, IL 60093 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/21/2017   M   8,693 A (1) 152,044.121 D   Common Stock 02/23/2017   J   40,837 (2) D $ 78.91 401,210 I Member Of Plan Committee Of Stepan Company Common Stock 02/23/2017   A   102.495 A $ 78.91 10,843.63 I By Esop II Trust Common Stock               104,423 D (3)   Common Stock               160,000 I By Family LLC (4) Common Stock               48,000 I By Family Trust (4) Common Stock               54,978 I By Family Trust III Common Stock               40,000 I By Family Trust IV (4)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 78.58

02/21/2017

A

24,051

02/21/2018(5)

02/20/2027

Common Stock

24,051

$ 0

24,051

D

Stock Appreciation Right

$ 78.58

02/21/2017

A

24,051

02/21/2018(5)

02/20/2027

Common Stock

24,051

$ 0

24,051

D

Performance Shares

(6)

02/21/2017

A

9,672

(6)

(6)

Common Stock

9,672

$ 0

9,672

D

Performance Shares

(7)

02/21/2017

M

9,691

(7)

(7)

Common Stock

9,691

(7)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
STEPAN F QUINN JR 22 W. FRONTAGE ROAD NORTHFIELD, IL 60093	X		Chairman, President & CEO

Signatures

/s/ Matthew M. Rice, attorney-in-fact for F. Quinn Stepan, Jr.		02/23/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Amount reported reflects vesting of 8,693 performance shares as shown on Table II due to achievement of certain financial targets by December 31, 2016.
(2)	Reflects transfer of 40,837 shares of Stepan Company Common Stock from the Stepan Company Pension Plan to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan II (ESOP II) established by Stepan Company. The reporting person is a member of the Plan Committee of Stepan Company which has oversight responsibility over investments of funds for employee benefit programs.
(3)	Joint Tenancy with Spouse.
(4)	The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of such securities for the purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.
(5)	Vests ratably over three years beginning on the date shown.
(6)	Each performance share represents a contingent right to receive 1 share of Stepan Company Common Stock. The performance shares vest upon Stepan Company achieving certain financial targets by December 31, 2019.
(7)	The performance shares vested upon Stepan Company achieving certain financial targets by December 31, 2016.

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