Biography of Jaime Irick

Jaime Irick Board of Directors of Illinois Tool Works Inc. A leader and transformational executive, Jaime Irick is the former CEO of the Pittsburgh Paints Company, where he successfully spearheaded a $2 billion corporate carve-out transaction and exit from PPG Industries Inc. (NYSE: PPG) to private equity ownership. Pittsburgh Paints Company is a market leader in paints, stains, caulks, sealants, and building products for homeowners and professionals in the United States and Canada. Its products are available at 750 company-owned stores as well as at national and independent retailers.

Jaime Irick is a board member of a public company and serves on several boards for non-profit organizations.

A Bespoke Professional Career Irick’s Career at PPG Beginning in September 2023, Jaime spearheaded the carve-out process, leading the deal process, developing a standalone growth strategy, and building the senior leadership team. In December 2024, he successfully closed the sale to a private equity buyer, American Industrial Partners (AIP).

Jaime Irick joined PPG in 2019 and, during his four years at the company, prior to the carve-out process, served in various roles with increasing responsibility, culminating in the position of Senior Vice President of two divisions: Architectural Coatings, United States and Canada, and Global Traffic Solutions. The combined revenue of both divisions totaled $3 billion, with over 7,000 employees.

Jaime was also one of fifteen senior executives to serve on PPG’s Operating Committee.

President of Life Fitness Before joining PPG, Jaime Irick served as President of Life Fitness, a $1 billion division of Brunswick Corporation, and a global leader in commercial fitness equipment. The company was sold in 2019 to KPS Capital Partners.

His Leadership Roles at General Electric Company For 13 years, Jaime served in several leadership roles, including as a General Electric (GE) Company Officer and President and CEO of GE Lighting Solutions, GE’s global LED lighting business unit. He was the founding Board Chair of GE’s MC2STEM high school, which, at the time, was the only high school in the country located on a corporate campus.

Board Member of Illinois Tool Works Inc. Jaime Irick serves as a member of the board of directors of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).

ITW is a Fortune 300 global, multi-industry manufacturing leader with revenue of $15.9 billion in 2024. It manufactures everything from state-of-the-art dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators in restaurants and hotels, to automobile components inside vehicles worldwide.

A West Point Graduate, Army Veteran Jaime attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated with a degree in Systems Engineering. While at West Point, he played Division I basketball.

He served five years as a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army. He attained the rank of Captain and is a qualified Army Airborne Ranger, having completed two of the U.S. Army’s most elite training programs. This included conducting military parachute operations in addition to a program that tests and develops combat leadership and small-unit tactics under extreme physical and mental stress.

Continuing Education: An MBA from Harvard Business School After serving as staff and faculty at West Point and deploying to the Middle East, Jaime earned his MBA from Harvard Business School in 2003.

A Recognized Leader Featured in Influential Publications Jaime’s story and success as a leader has been featured in multiple notable publications, including The Go Point: When It’s Time to Decide-Knowing What to Do and When to Do It by Michael Useem; in a Harvard Business School Case Study: Jaime Irick, Life Story of a Recent MBA by Nitin Nohria; and True North by Bill George.

In The Go Point, Useem discusses how for some, responsibility is bestowed, while others, like Jaime, actively seek responsibility. From the time Jaime was in high school playing sports to his college days taking on social service projects, and later joining the military and advancing through the officer ranks, he was always ready to take on more. In civilian life, Useem relays how Jaime also repeatedly requested larger and stretch assignments, embracing more responsibilities along the way.

In George’s Truth North, Jaime is cited as an example of a leader who understands that leadership is about serving others, from the team to stakeholders. George illustrates how Jaime and others achieved success by aligning their leadership with their personal values and a commitment to serving others.

Philanthropic Endeavors Jaime and his wife are philanthropists who support multiple endowed scholarships, providing access to higher education for under-resourced students. Their endowed scholarships are held at The Gilbert School (5 years), Teachers College at Columbia (3+ years), and Lewis & Clark College (3+ years) in Oregon.

Personal Life Jaime was born in the Bronx, New York. He and his wife reside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with their three children. He enjoys reading biographies and watching his children practice taekwondo.