John G. Morikis joined Sherwin-Williams Co. in 1984 as a management trainee and, in 2016, became the company’s first employee to rise from that position to CEO. He was at the helm last summer when Sherwin-Williams acquired Valspar — an $11.3 billion move that positioned the company as the global leader in paints and coatings.
The goal? Henry Sherwin valued quality, order, cleanliness and thrift — and Morikis thinks that’s still the right philosophy. “Henry got it right really early on. The future of our company is built on our past.”
On winning: Morikis peppers his speech with talk of winning but, at the same time, recognizes that the race never really ends. “There is no finish line. We’re trying to get better every single day.”
How to get better: “It’s bringing in the right people, training them properly and giving them the resources that allow them to win.”
Mom and dad: Every year, there’s a celebration for employees who reach 25 years of service. Honorees are encouraged to bring their family members, usually resulting in a very special moment. “We thank their parents for what they did in preparing our company for success by helping their sons and daughters do the things they do.”
John’s mom, too: Morikis always knew his mom was proud of him, but there was something extraordinary about seeing it so plainly on her face at his 25-year celebration. “That evening solidified everything in my own mind about how she felt about me.”
Transition of power: Morikis became only the ninth CEO in the company’s history when he took over from Chris Connor. But Morikis claims that strong leadership begins at the bottom. “I’m sorry to be a broken record, but it’s about our people. We have quality from this office all the way down to the people who interact with customers.”
Civic duty: It’s almost an expectation at Sherwin-Williams that those in high-level positions get involved. If someone doesn’t already have a cause they are passionate about, the team helps them find one. “We encourage our leaders to be actively engaged through not just philanthropy, but also service. Cleveland is very important to Sherwin-Williams, and we want Sherwin-Williams to be important to Cleveland.”
Success is no secret: It takes three things: good people, hard work and teamwork. “We’re not looking for shortcuts. It’s heavy lifting that we have to do.”
