Pollock Retires; Bunch Elected Executive Vice President
7 March 2000
Pollock Retires; Bunch Elected Executive Vice President
PITTSBURGH--March 7, 2000--Executive Vice President E. Kears Pollock today announced his retirement effective April 1, concluding a nearly 34-year career with the company.Charles E. (Chuck) Bunch, 50, senior vice president, strategic planning and corporate services, has been elected executive vice president, assuming responsibility for all of PPG's coatings strategic business units.
"There's no question PPG is a better company because of Kears Pollock, and there's no question he has impacted our organization and the people who have had the privilege of working with him," said Raymond W. LeBoeuf, board chairman and chief executive officer. "Losing someone with Kears' experience is never easy, but Chuck Bunch is an excellent choice to lead our coatings businesses. He played a pivotal role in the acquisition strategy that has resulted in our better mix of businesses. And with nearly 20 years of service, including key operating and staff assignments, Chuck brings a well-rounded background, plus global management experience, to his new position."
PPG's chemicals, fiber glass and glass business units will report to Frank Archinaco, executive vice president. Bunch and Archinaco will report to LeBoeuf.
Pollock began his PPG career in 1966 as a research engineer at the Harmarville, Pa., glass technical center. He moved to Pittsburgh headquarters as a patent attorney in 1970, advanced to assistant glass patent counsel, and was named glass patent counsel in 1977. He returned to Harmarville in 1982 as director of glass research and development.
In 1986, Pollock was appointed marketing director for original equipment automotive coatings. He was named director of automotive coatings products in 1988, a year later became vice president of that business, and in 1994 also assumed responsibility for PPG's European coatings businesses.
In 1995 he was elected vice president and then senior vice president of coatings. He was elected an executive vice president in 1997.
A registered professional engineer, he holds four United States patents involving computer-aided artificial intelligence and glass processing.
Pollock, a native of Marion Center, Pa., earned bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and a law degree at Duquesne University. He is a member of the bar of Pennsylvania, the Supreme Court of the United States and various federal courts and agencies.
He is board chairman of the National Paint and Coatings Association and a former member of the Chemical Manufacturers Association board. He is also a member of the American and Allegheny County bar associations, American Intellectual Property Law Association, Society of Automotive Engineers, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
Pollock is also a board member of Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale. He previously served on the boards of several other charitable and public organizations, and was president of the Hampton Township, Pa., school board.
After joining PPG in 1979 as an assistant to the corporate controller, Bunch held accounting and financial analyst assignments at glass plants in Indiana and Alabama. In 1982 he was appointed manager of European financial analysis in Paris. Bunch was named manager of European flat glass and commercial products in 1985, and the following year became managing director of PPG's Italian glass subsidiary.
He returned to Pittsburgh in 1987 as corporate director of distribution and then assumed additional responsibility for purchasing. He was named general manager of architectural coatings in 1992, vice president of that unit in 1994, and vice president, fiber glass, in 1995. He was elected to his current post in 1997.
A native of Philadelphia, Bunch received a degree in international affairs from Georgetown University and a master's degree in business administration from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration. He is a board member of the Pittsburgh branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and of the South Hills Health System.
Internet: www.ppg.com