FinishMaster Announces Management Additions; Changes Will Strengthen Strategy, Customer Focus

    INDIANAPOLIS--Jan. 4, 2002--Andre B. Lacy, Chairman and CEO of FinishMaster, Inc. , announced the approval of several management additions by the Company.
    David N. Shane has been elected to the Board of Directors, and will also serve as Vice Chairman of the Indianapolis-based automotive paint product distributor. Shane was also recently elevated to President and Chief Operating Officer of LDI, Ltd., the holding company that owns 73.1% of FinishMaster.
    Shane will drive the strategic development of FinishMaster and oversee its progress toward the future. He will work with Wes Dearbaugh, President, who will report directly to Shane.
    Shane's addition will enable Dearbaugh to focus primarily on enhancing FinishMaster's customer-focused activities, including direct sales efforts and long-term business development. He will be assisted by Chuck VanSlaars, newly appointed Senior Vice-President -- Market Development, and by Bruce Carson, newly appointed Vice-President -- National Accounts. The Company's Vice Presidents -- Sales for each region will also report directly to Dearbaugh.
    In announcing these changes, Andre Lacy stressed a dual focus on market strategy and customer service. "With David's overall strategic leadership and Wes' focus on customers, our new management team is well-positioned to lead FinishMaster into the future," he stated.
    "Their leadership will allow the whole team to operate more effectively," Lacy added. "J.A. Lacy can continue his progress strengthening our performance for our customers in operations. Tom Young can now focus on our vendors, an essential part of the supply chain. Marc Johnson will drive us forward by continuing our growth through strategic acquisitions."
    As Vice Chairman, Shane joins Thomas Young, who will remain as a member of the Company's Board of Directors and be responsible for working to further develop the Company's relations with its suppliers.
    J.A. Lacy, Senior Vice President -- Operations, will maintain his responsibility for improving the operational effectiveness of Finishmaster's field operations. Jim Hudson, Vice President -- Supply Chain, will assist Lacy in this effort.
    Robert Millard, Senior Vice President -- Finance; Robert Pruim, Vice President -- Human Resources; and Paul Manzullo, Vice President -- Information Technology, will continue to provide strategic execution and support for the customer-facing efforts led by Dearbaugh and the operations efforts led by J.A. Lacy.
    Marc Johnson will assume the position of Vice President -- Acquisitions and will be responsible for driving FinishMaster's continued growth through its program of strategic acquisitions across the United States.
    As Vice Chairman, Shane will also lead the Company's Strategy Execution Team, whose other members will be Young, Dearbaugh, J.A. Lacy and Millard.
    "I look forward to being able to devote more of my time to our growth through customer-facing initiatives and working on longer term strategy," said Dearbaugh.
    "Now more than ever, companies need a strategic focus to succeed in a competitive marketplace," said Shane. "I look forward to working with the rest of the FinishMaster team to develop and implement a strategy that allows us to continue to lead the market."

    FinishMaster, Inc. is the nation's leading distributor of industrial and automotive paints, coatings and related accessories to the U.S. automotive paint refinishing market. For more information, please visit http://www.finishmaster.com or Corporate News on the Net page at http://www.businesswire.com/companyspecific/.