The Valspar Corporation (NYSE:VAL) announced today that the Board of
Directors elected Ian R. Friendly, 48, executive vice president; chief
operating officer, U.S. Retail, General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS), to the
Board of Directors. Mr. Friendly has been appointed to serve on the
board’s audit committee.
“We are pleased to welcome Ian to our board,” said William L. Mansfield,
Valspar chairman and chief executive officer. “He is a talented business
leader who brings valuable management experience to our board and to
Valspar. His insight will be a tremendous asset as the company continues
to build its brands and expand its presence in global paint and coatings
markets.”
Mr. Friendly was appointed executive vice president; chief operating
officer, U.S. Retail, General Mills, Inc. in June 2006, and has
responsibility for leading the company’s Big G, Yoplait, Meals,
Pillsbury U.S., Snacks and Baking Products Division operations. From May
2004 until his appointment to his current position, Mr. Friendly served
as president and CEO of Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), General Mills’
joint venture with Nestlé, and was responsible for a billion-dollar-plus
global cereal business which distributes to over 130 countries outside
of North America. Mr. Friendly joined General Mills in 1983 and held
various positions before becoming Vice President of CPW in 1994,
President of Yoplait in 1998, Senior Vice President of General Mills in
2000 and President of the Big G cereals division in 2002. Mr. Friendly
is an advisory board member of the Queen’s University School of Business
in Kingston, Ontario, serves on the Board of Trustees of Minnesota
Public Radio and is a member of the Board of Directors of Artspace
Projects, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Valspar Corporation (NYSE:VAL) is a global leader in the paint
and coatings industry. Since 1806, Valspar has been dedicated to
bringing customers the latest innovations, the finest quality and the
best customer service in the coatings industry.
For more information, visit www.valsparglobal.com.
The Valspar Corporation
Investor Contact:
Tyler
Treat, 612-851-7358
or
Media Contact:
Mike
Dougherty, 612-851-7802
