PPG Industries has made a number of executive assignments. Rich Alexander, senior vice president, performance coatings, has been elected executive vice president and joins PPG’s executive committee. Alexander joined PPG in 1978 as a sales representative based in Detroit and subsequently held several branch sales and marketing positions. Alexander was elected vice president, industrial coatings, in 2002, and to his current position in 2005.
    
Pierre-Marie De Leener, senior vice president, architectural coatings EMEA, and president, PPG Europe, has been elected executive vice president and also will join PPG’s executive committee. In addition, De Leener will assume management responsibility for the company’s information technology function. Werner Baer, vice president, information technology, will report to De Leener. De Leener joined PPG with the acquisition of SigmaKalon Group in January 2008, and was appointed to his current roles that same year.
    
Cynthia A. Niekamp, vice president, automotive coatings, has been elected senior vice president and will join PPG’s Operating Committee. Niekamp joined PPG in her current role in January 2009. She started her career with General Motors, where she progressed through several production supervisory and engineering positions with the Delco Moraine division.  
    
Viktor R. Sekmakas, vice president, coatings, and president, PPG Asia/Pacific, has been elected senior vice president and will also join PPG’s Operating Committee. In addition, Sekmakas will assume responsibility for PPG’s packaging coatings business. Douglas Pegg, vice president, packaging coatings, will report to Sekmakas. Sekmakas joined PPG in 1997 with the acquisition of Lilly Industries’ electrocoat business and became market development manager, powder coatings. He was named president, PPG Asia/Pacific, in 2008, and he additionally assumed responsibility for PPG’s global industrial coatings business in early 2010.