Issue link: https://ppgrefinish-na.uberflip.com/i/1042094
John Outcalt, most recently our vice president for global refinish, announced his retirement effective this past August, ending a most successful 35-year career with PPG. Under John's leadership, PPG's refinish business achieved phenomenal growth across the Americas, Europe, Asia and rest of the world as he was instrumental in forming key business partnerships throughout the industry, overseeing the successful global launch of our waterborne technology and fostering new ways to bring value to our customers. John joined PPG in 1983 as marketing services manager for automotive OEM coatings. After progressing through various roles within automotive OEM coatings, he became director of network sales for Automotive Refinish. After serving as director of collision center operations and director of sales, North America for refinish, John then joined PPG's insurance and services business as general manager. He became general manager, refinish, United States and Canada. In 2007, Outcalt was named vice president, automotive refinish, Americas, and in 2010, his role was expanded to encompass global responsibility for the refinish business. partnership," recalls Eddie Cheskis, CEO of Glass America LLC, owned by the Boyd Group, one of the largest auto collision and glass repair companies in North America. "John realized that the more his customers grew, PPG's growth would follow. That's not rocket science, but not everyone gets that." Echoing these sentiments was Steve Seidner, VP of Southern California's Seidner's Collision Centers. "Over the many years I've known John, I found his willingness to listen and support customers is unlike anything I've experienced in the corporate world." Working under his leadership, refinish team members always found John to be very approachable and open to different viewpoints, encouraging them to follow his familiar creed: "Work hard, do what's right and have some fun doing it." As to his plans for the future, John relates that after a career involving much travel and time away from home, he now wants to devote his time to his wife, Kathy, and their four children and five grandchildren (with another on the way!). We're sure he'll play a little golf, too. Well deserved, John! "John's capacity for building relationships with our refinish distributors, as well as his passion for results, made him a key executive in contributing to the company's success," said Michael McGarry, PPG chairman and CEO. "PPG is a better company today because of the industry-leading global refinish business that John has nurtured and grown during his tenure." During his leadership, John worked to strengthen PPG's refinish distributor network, paying particular attention to ensuring that PPG Platinum Distributors were given a strong voice in decisions that could improve their businesses and that of their customers. "John's been a great steward of the relationship between PPG and the Platinum Distributors, an exemplary leader for PPG," said Trent Emerson, president of Ben's Paint Supply, Daytona Beach, Fla., and a PPG Platinum Distributor. "The Platinum program grew tremendously under his leadership, and I give John a great deal of the credit for our success." "I worked closely with John for over 25 years, and I can tell you he always looked for the win-win in a business FAREWELL, LONGTIME LEADER OF OUR GLOBAL REFINISH TEAM RETIRES FAREWELL, 6