Mike Horton, president of PPG Industries’ operations in the Asia Pacific region, was honored by the Shanghai Municipal Government with the prestigious Magnolia Memorial Award for his outstanding contributions to the city. Zhang Xiaosong, director general of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, presented a medal and certificate to Horton in a ceremony earlier this month at the Shanghai Jing’an Shangri-La Hotel.

The Magnolia Awards, presented annually by the Shanghai Municipal Government, honor expatriates who have made outstanding contributions to Shanghai’s economic development, culture, education and social responsibility. The Changning District government nominated Horton for the award in recognition of his contributions to the district’s growth. He was named a winner after a joint review by 18 government departments and public notice in Shanghai.

As president of PPG Asia Pacific and vice president of the company’s protective and marine coatings business in the region, Horton oversees all business activities and strategy execution in the region. He joined PPG in 1998 and relocated to PPG’s China headquarters in Shanghai in 2005. Under his leadership, PPG Asia Pacific has been committed to economic and social development in Shanghai. In line with PPG’s social responsibility values, it is actively fulfilling its obligations as a corporate citizen and maintains harmonious relations with local communities and people.

“It is a great honor to receive the Magnolia Award, not only for me but also for the entire team of PPG Asia Pacific,” Horton said. “The Shanghai Municipal Government and the people of Shanghai have offered tremendous support to PPG. We will continue to fulfill our commitment to developing our business in Shanghai and in China as a whole.”

The Magnolia Awards, including the Magnolia Memorial Award, the Magnolia Honor Award and Honorary Citizen Award, were established by the Shanghai Municipal Government in 1989. This year the local government presented 50 Magnolia Memorial Awards and 11 Magnolia Honor Awards, and it named two Magnolia Honorary Citizens. Over the past 27 years, nearly 1,300 recipients from all lines of work and every corner of the world have won Magnolia Awards.