PPG's Lawton & Pollock Inducted Into Collegium
10 November 2000
PPG's Lawton & Pollock Inducted Into Collegium
PITTSBURGH--Nov. 10, 2000--North Carolina-based scientist Ernest L. Lawton and retired executive E. Kears Pollock will be inducted into PPG Industries' PPG Collegium tomorrow night, recognizing their career contributions to product and process development.The PPG Collegium has 27 lifetime members with these additions. Biennial elections conclude a nominating process.
Lawton is staff scientist at PPG's Lexington, N.C., fiber glass science and technology center. He joined the company in 1981 as a fiber glass research associate, and has authored or co-authored 18 United States patents.
He invented a coating used on a wide range of fiber glass yarns as well as fiber glass reinforcements for copper and fiber optic cables, and has led development of a resin compatible binder for new fiber glass yarns that enhance production of electronic circuit boards. He introduced statistical analysis to improve fiber glass production and performance, and co-invented coatings application technology to protect reflective metallic coatings on flat glass and windshields.
A native of Raleigh, N.C., Lawton received bachelor's and master's degrees in textile chemistry and a doctorate in organic chemistry at North Carolina State University. He lives in Clemmons, N.C.
Pollock retired in April as executive vice president. He joined PPG in 1966 as a glass research engineer, held patent law posts, was glass research and development director, and held automotive coatings management assignments before heading all of PPG's coatings businesses. He has four patents in computer-aided artificial intelligence and glass processing.
He was responsible for creating a strong flat glass process patent portfolio, established discipline in developing original-equipment products, championed development of PPG's pioneering automotive powder clear coat as well as the company's high-solids waterborne base coats that became North America's leading automotive color coatings, and demonstrated "exceptional ability" to understand business implications of technology and leverage it for commercial success.
A native of Marion Center, Pa., Pollock earned bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and a law degree at Duquesne University. He lives in the Pittsburgh suburb of Allison Park.
PPG is a leading global supplier of coatings, glass, fiber glass and chemicals. With about 120 production operations in 23 states of the United States and 22 other countries, PPG's 1999 sales totaled $7.8 billion.
Internet: http://www.ppg.com