Editor’s note: The following industry professionals have recently received appointments or promotions. To submit your company’s personnel news for possible publication in CoatingsTech, email publications@paint.org with “Names in the News” in the subject line.
The Sherwin-Williams Company has announced that John G. Morikis will retire from his position as executive chairman at the close of business on December 31, 2024, concluding a 40-year career with the company. Morikis will remain on the Sherwin-Williams Board of Directors until his retirement at the end of his current term at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April 2025. The Board has elected Heidi G. Petz to take on the additional role of chair of the Board, effective January 1, 2025. Petz has served as Sherwin-Williams president and CEO since January 1, 2024.
“My deep and sincere thanks go to John for his exceptional leadership, dedication, and vision over his distinguished career with Sherwin-Williams,” Petz said. “John’s passion for driving the success of our customers and employees resulted in strong and sustained performance by our company throughout his tenure. He leaves us with a tremendous foundation upon which we can continue to build profitable growth for years to come.”
Petz joined Sherwin-Williams through the acquisition of the Valspar Corporation in 2017. Since then, she has held roles of increasing responsibility, including president of the Consumer Brands Group, president of The Americas Group, and, most recently, president and chief operating officer. Before her tenure at Sherwin-Williams and Valspar, Petz held various leadership roles at Newell Rubbermaid, Target Corporation, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Kristin Neumann, chief financial officer of Brenntag SE, has informed the Supervisory Board of Brenntag SE that she will not extend her contract for personal reasons and will leave the company when her contract expires on March 31, 2025.
“The decision was not easy for me. Brenntag [has] a robust business model and great growth potential, which is also characterized by the strong commitment and expertise of its employees,” Neumann said. “I am grateful for the time in which I was able to help shape the company and its path into the future together with my colleagues on the Management Board and the large Brenntag team.”
The search for a successor is underway. Neumann will stay in her role through the duration of her contact to sure an orderly transition to her successor.
Orion S.A has appointed Natalia Scherbakoff chief technology officer, succeeding David Deters, who announced his retirement earlier this year and will remain with Orion through the end of 2024.
Scherbakoff joins Orion from Trinseo where she served as the vice president of Technology & Innovation where she oversaw global research, development and technology innovation with sustainability and circular solutions being a key underlying focus.
Previously Scherbakoff was the vice president of Research Innovation & Product Lines at Plastic Omnium, a French automotive supplier now known as OPmobility. She also served as the general manager of Specialty Composites and the director of Global Innovation at Owens Corning.
She holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in macromolecular science from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil.
Orian S.A. has also appointed Zack Hays as marketing manager for coatings and printing systems in North America. Prior to joining Orion, Hays served as the regional head of strategic marketing for the Americas at Huebach Colorants.
Hays earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina.
Keith Corkwell has been promoted to president, Lubrizol Additives, bringing more than 25 years of Lubrizol commercial and technical experiences to this role. Corkwell, who recently served vice president, Additives Americas, has led commercial and product teams across the additives portfolio, from fuel additives, heavy duty engine oil, driveline, e-mobility and a variety of other categories.
Lubrizol also announced the following appointments to the leadership team: Brenna Huovie as vice president, Additives Americas; Mark Davies as vice president, Additives Technology; and Anouska Norman as vice president, Additives Strategic Marketing and Commercial Excellence.
H.B. Fuller Company has announced that Teresa (Terry) J. Rasmussen has been appointed chair of the company’s Board of Directors following the retirement of Lee R. Mitau, effective January 22, 2025.
Rasmussen joined the H.B. Fuller Board of Directors in 2020 and currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Thrivent, a Fortune 500 diversified financial services organization.