NORTHBROOK, IL, Jan. 3, 2005 (PRNewswire) -- Culligan International, a Clayton, Dubilier & Rice portfolio company that's a leading producer and distributor of water treatment products and bottled water, today announced the appointment of former Kinko's executive Mark Seals as CEO, effective Jan. 3. He will also join the company's board of directors. Seals succeeds Mike Kachmer who becomes COO and remains a board member.
While at Kinko's, Seals was the executive vice president of operations, where he was responsible for Worldwide Branch Operations, Marketing, Real Estate and Development, Strategic Planning, and International departments. He has extensive global experience with high profile consumer-oriented companies, has a successful track record of building strong and profitable franchise networks, and for putting in place high performance management teams.
At Kinko's, Seals led the transformation of the company's international operations and after its acquisition by FedEx helped to integrate Kinko's operations with its new parent company. Prior to Kinko's, he spent 10 years with PepsiCo/Tricon, where he was instrumental in improving the operations of such well respected global companies as Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell. He also held several important executive positions with Anheuser-Busch Companies.
"Culligan is embarking on a new phase in its corporate life, where we are focusing on improving relationships with our franchisee network, sharing "best practices" on a worldwide basis, and evaluating multiple new business alternatives that will allow us to leverage our strong brand, while building on the strong relationships we have established with our customer base," said George W. Tamke, Culligan's chairman and a Clayton, Dubilier & Rice operating partner. "Culligan has a long and rich heritage as a corporate icon, which is a valuable asset as we continue to grow our business globally. Mark brings a unique and proven combination of leadership skills that will help the company achieve its strategic initiatives, while growing profitably."
Seals received a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and an master's degree and MBA from Indiana University.
About Culligan
Among the most widely recognized brand names in America, Culligan (www.culligan.com) has been manufacturing and distributing water treatment products and bottled water for household and commercial use worldwide since 1936, and entered the air purification market in 2003. Culligan's network of dealerships and licensees worldwide is committed to delivering superior customer satisfaction and expertise. A fund managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice acquired Culligan in September 2004 from Vivendi Environnement.
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