News
Executive assignments at PPG

May 9, 2011 – PPG Industries recently announced a number of executive assignments, effective May 1. Gary Danowski, Richard Beuke, Kevin Braun, and Johann (John) Kolling all have new roles.

Danowski, vice president of flat glass, has been named vice
president, automotive refinish, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa),
based at the Rolle, Switzerland, headquarters of PPG Europe and
reporting to John Outcalt, vice president of automotive refinish.

Beuke, vice president of silicas, has been named vice
president of flat glass, based at the flat glass business and discovery
center in Harmar, Pa., and reporting to Rich Alexander, executive
vice president of performance coatings and glass.

Braun, general manager of architectural coatings, ANZ (Australia
and New Zealand), has been named general manager of silica products, based
at the Monroeville, Pa., chemicals center and reporting to Richard Elias, senior vice president of optical and specialty materials.

Kolling, director of U.S. taxes, has been named vice
president of tax administration, based at the Pittsburgh global
headquarters and reporting to Robert Dellinger, senior vice
president of finance and chief financial officer.

Danowski joined PPG in 1982 as a production engineer at the former
Crestline, Ohio, automotive glass fabrication plant, which is now part
of Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC (PGW). He advanced through several
engineering positions in the automotive glass business before moving to
Paris in 1994 as director of market development for PPG’s European glass
business. Danowski returned to the United States in 1997, as plant
manager of PPG’s former Meadville, Pa., glass manufacturing facility,
now part of PGW, and he was appointed director of new products and
services for flat glass, in 2001. In 2003, he became director of production for
automotive OEM glass (now part of PGW), and in 2007, he was named
director of global operations for aerospace. Danowski was named vice
president of performance glazings (now flat glass), in January 2009. He
earned a mechanical engineering degree from Gannon University and a
Master of Business Administration degree from Ashland University.

Beuke joined PPG in 1976 as an industrial coatings sales representative
based in Oak Creek, Wis., and served in two regional industrial coatings
sales manager roles before moving to Troy, Mich., in 1990 as marketing
director of the automotive parts segment for automotive OEM coatings. He was named director of purchasing at PPG’s
Pittsburgh headquarters in 1994, and he was appointed general manager of
silica products in 1997. In 2000, Beuke was elected vice president of
architectural coatings, and in 2006, he was named vice president of growth
initiatives. He became vice president of silicas, in November 2009. A
native of Indianapolis, Beuke earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia
Southern University, and he has studied executive management at the
Columbia University Business School.

Braun joined PPG in 1991 as production engineer at the Delaware, Ohio,
coatings manufacturing facility. He joined the industrial coatings
business in 1994 as sales/service representative in the appliance division,
and he moved to the fiberglass business in 1997 as market development
manager. In 2000, Braun returned to industrial coatings as market
manager, consumer electronics, and in 2001, he became a regional sales
manager for industrial coatings. He joined the architectural coatings
business as national sales manager for the Lowe’s account in 2003, and
he was named zone sales director for Midwest dealers and stores in 2007.
Later that year, Braun relocated to Sydney as general manager of
architectural coatings, ANZ (Australia and New Zealand). Braun earned a
bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the University of
Pittsburgh and a Master of Business Administration degree from Capital
University.

Kolling joined PPG as director of U.S. taxes, in 2004, with responsibility
for federal, state and indirect tax matters, later adding
responsibility for the Latin America region. He began his career with
Price Waterhouse in 1983, working in various, advancing roles in Detroit
and Washington, D.C. Kolling left in 1995, to join Kellogg Co. in
Battle Creek, Mich., as director of tax planning and audits, supporting
the U.S. and Asia/Pacific regions. Kolling was named to two different
finance director roles at Kellogg, in 1999 and 2000, before returning to
tax planning and audits in 2001, mostly to handle issues related to
Kellogg’s acquisition of the Keebler Co. A native of Detroit, Kolling
earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Detroit
Mercy and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School, and he is
a member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants
and the Tax Executives Institute.