Breen, John G. (Jack)

As chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Co., John G. (Jack) Breen is best known for his democratic management style — a knack for getting the best out of people that has been credited with helping him turn around the international paint company after its difficult money-losing period in the mid-1970s. 

"What I try to do is get as broad a consensus as possible to find solutions or opportunities," Breen once told a local reporter. Several investment analysts have even cited Breen's management style as one of the company's best assets. 

Breen joined Sherwin-Williams as president and CEO in January 1979, and in April 1980 was appointed chairman of the board. Intrigued by the challenge, Breen says he accepted the position shortly after it was offered: "It was a CEO's job with a large, big-board company, in a turnaround situation, with both industrial and consumer product lines. I felt if I could get this under my wing, it would represent a significant accomplishment." 

During his tenure at Sherwin-Williams, the company's stock price has increased more than 32 times, while return on beginning shareholders' equity has improved from 1.9 percent in 1978 to 19 percent in 1995, a figure significantly above the average for American companies. Total debt for the company, which is now larger operationally, financially and managerially than it was 18 years ago, has declined from 48.6 percent in 1978 to 2.1 percent in 1995. 

According to Breen, a successful manager should use common sense, be consistent, listen and be fair. He's noted for encouraging employees to take responsibility for addressing problems and achieving goals and has worked to foster a setting that motivates people to do their best. 

Breen also overcame the problems caused by Sherwin-Williams' 1981 acquisition of Drug Fair, which confused outsiders as well as employees, since Sherwin-Williams possessed an international reputation as a premier coatings company. Sherwin-Williams sold Drug Fair to Rite Aid Corp. in 1987 to refocus on its core business. 

Born in Cleveland, Breen received his degree in business administration from John Carroll University in 1956. After completing the ROTC program there, he was commissioned and served on active duty and active reserve for nearly 10 years before starting his professional career as a terminal office manager at the Leaseway Corp. Next, he joined the Clevite Corp. in 1957 as a trainee and started night school at Case Western Reserve University, where he earned his master's degree in business administration in 1961. 

At 27, Breen was promoted to market analyst at Clevite and was asked to develop and implement a plan to move the company into the emerging market for electrodeposited copper foil for printed circuits. Operations expanded to Britain, Germany and Japan, and Clevite remains a world leader in this field. In 1969, Gould acquired Clevite, and Breen was named president and general manager of the Foil Division. He later advanced to general manager of the Engine Parts Division (1973), group vice president of the Industrial Group (1974) and executive vice president of Gould (1977). 

Breen also currently serves as director of Parker-Hannifin Corp., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., National City Corp. and Mead Corp. He is chairman of the board of trustees of John Carroll University, and on the board of University Hospitals of Cleveland and the Musical Arts Association. Breen received the Gold Award honors in the Building Materials Industry from The Wall Street Transcript in both 1992 and 1993. In May 1988, he was selected as Business Statesman of the Year by the Harvard Business School Club of Cleveland. 

"The determination to succeed and the will to win are the product of the right values," Breen concludes. "These values are hard work, self-reliance, fairness and consistency, sacrifice and a sense of responsibility."