John G Breen

Former Sherwin-Williams CEO and Chairman John " Jack" Breen has died. Breen joined the company in 1979 as CEO and achieved 21 consecutive years of earnings improvement. During his tenure, he achieved a host of accomplishments,including store growth from 1,400 in 1979 to 2,396 in 1999, growing revenue to more than $5 billion and much more. Mr. Breen remained a member of the Sherwin-Williams Board of Directors until his retirement in April 2005. JOHN G. BREEN, retired, served as Chairman of The Sherwin-Williams Company from April 1980 to April 2000; he had been Chief Executive Officer from 1979 to 1999. He is a director of MTD Holdings Inc. and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He also is a Trustee of John Carroll University and of University Hospitals Health Systems. Mr. Breen is 73 years old and has been a director since July 2000. He is Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Executive Committee and the Finance and Pension Committee. Mr. Breen's term will expire at the 2010 Annual Meeting.