PPG announces management assignments

He will replace David C. Cannon Jr., vice president, environment, health and safety, who is leaving the company March 31.

Lynne D. Schmidt, director of government affairs, will be promoted to vice president, government and community affairs, and executive director of the PPG Industries Foundation, effective July 1. She will replace Jeffrey R. Gilbert, who is retiring as of the same date after more than 38 years with PPG.

Norton joined PPG in 1999 in the company's acquisition of the ICI automotive refinish business, moving to the United States from England and assuming his current role in 2000. Norton was responsible for ICI's Stowmarket, England, plant, which manufactured automotive, industrial, refinish and architectural coatings as well as resins. He later served as general manager, supply chain, for ICI's global automotive refinish business. Before joining ICI in 1989, he worked in manufacturing and technology roles for Tioxide and BP Chemicals. A native of Ireland, Norton earned undergraduate and doctoral degrees in chemistry from Trinity College, University of Dublin.

Cannon joined PPG's law department in 1981 as an environmental attorney after serving with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 1987 he assumed leadership of the environmental law section, and in 1989 was promoted to group counsel for the chemicals group. After serving the chemicals businesses for five years, he was promoted to associate general counsel in 1994 and appointed vice president, environment, health and safety, in 1996. Cannon is a biology graduate of the University of Notre Dame and earned his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Schmidt joined PPG's law department in 1984 following four years with the National Labor Relations Board in Cincinnati, where she was involved in labor and employment law, litigation and commercial law. From 1995 to December 2000, she managed the labor, employment and benefits section of the law department. She was appointed to her present position in December 2000. Schmidt earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and mathematics from Bowling Green State University. She earned her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where she was a member of the Law Review.

Gilbert joined PPG in August 1965 as a personnel assistant at the Crystal City, Mo., glass plant. After human resources assignments in Pittsburgh, Crystal City, Carlisle, Pa., and Huntsville, Ala., he returned to Pittsburgh in October 1976 and worked in labor, staffing and equal employment opportunity. As director of policy and practice, he relocated to Paris in 1995, returning to Pittsburgh in 1997 as director, international human resources and acquisitions. He was elected to his current position in 2000. Gilbert is an industrial administration graduate of Iowa State University.

Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries is a global supplier of coatings, glass and fiber glass and chemicals, with manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in 23 countries. Sales were $8.8 billion in 2003.