Edward J. Slack is president of PPG Industries. Slack joined PPG in 1946 at the Creighton, PA, glass plant, where he served as laboratory technician and statistical quality control supervisor. In 1958, he became production manager of PPG’s architectural metals plant in Kokomo, IN. From 1961 to 1966, he served, in succession, as manager of glass manufacturing plants at Ford City, PA, Henryetta, OK, and Fresno, CA.
In 1966, Slack moved to PPG’s Pittsburgh corporate headquarters as general manager of plate, float and special glass manufacturing. He was appointed corporate vice president of employee relations in 1970.
Slack was named vice president and general manager of the former Automotive and Aircraft Glass Division in 1977, and vice president and general manager of the former Fiber Glass Division in 1980. He was elected group vice president, glass and fiber glass, with worldwide product line responsibility, in April 1983, and group vice president, glass, when the company’s glass and fiber glass businesses were integrated into one operating group in November, 1983. He was elected president of PPG in 1984.
Slack is a member of the University of Pittsburgh’s board of trustees, a member of the University’s Annual Giving Fund board, and a member of the University’s board of visitors for the School of Engineering. He is also a director of Portec, Inc.
A native of Harwick, PA, Slack is an engineering graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and attended the advanced management program at Harvard University School of Business. He and his wife, Laura, have two children and live in the Pittsburgh suburb of Allison Park.