Jaime Irick
Board of Directors of Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Jaime Irick is a former CEO of the Pittsburgh Paints Company, where he led a significant $2 billion corporate carve-out and transition from PPG Industries Inc. (NYSE: PPG) to private equity ownership. Under his leadership, the company maintained its position as a market leader in paints, stains, caulks, sealants, and building products across the U.S. and Canada. Its distribution network includes 750 company-owned stores and various national and independent retailers.
Irick currently serves on the board of a public company and holds roles on multiple nonprofit boards.
A Bespoke Professional Career
Career at PPG
Starting in September 2023, he directed the carve-out of Pittsburgh Paints Company. He led the entire transaction process, created a growth strategy tailored to the company’s standalone structure, and assembled the senior leadership team. By December 2024, the sale to private equity firm American Industrial Partners (AIP) was completed under his direction.
Jaime initially joined PPG in 2019. Over his four-year tenure, he assumed a series of increasingly senior leadership roles. These culminated in his appointment as Senior Vice President of two significant business units: Architectural Coatings, U.S. and Canada, and Global Traffic Solutions. Together, these divisions generated $3 billion in revenue and employed over 7,000 people.
He was one of fifteen senior executives serving on PPG’s Operating Committee, contributing to decisions at the highest levels of the organization.
President of Life Fitness
Before PPG, Irick was the President of Life Fitness, a $1 billion division of Brunswick Corporation. The company was a global leader in the commercial fitness equipment industry. In 2019, it was acquired by KPS Capital Partners.
Leadership Roles at General Electric
For 13 years, he held multiple leadership positions at General Electric. He served as a GE Company Officer and as President and CEO of GE Lighting Solutions, overseeing GE’s global LED lighting division. He also chaired the board of GE’s MC2STEM high school, the only high school in the nation at the time located directly on a corporate campus.
Board Member of Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Jaime serves as a board member at Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW), a Fortune 300 multi-industry manufacturing company with $15.9 billion in revenue for 2024. The company produces a wide range of equipment, from kitchen appliances used in the hospitality industry to automotive components used globally.
A West Point Graduate, Army Veteran
He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Systems Engineering and played Division I basketball during his time there.
Irick served five years in the U.S. Army as a Field Artillery Officer. He attained the rank of Captain and earned qualifications as both an Army Airborne and Ranger. His training included military parachute operations and intensive leadership development programs designed to test decision-making under extreme stress.
Continuing Education: An MBA from Harvard Business School
Following his military service, which included deployment to the Middle East and time on staff and faculty at the United States Military Academy at West Point, he pursued further education. In 2003, he earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Recognized Leadership and Featured Publications
Irick's leadership journey has been profiled in several well-known publications. These include The Go Point: When It’s Time to Decide—Knowing What to Do and When to Do It by Michael Useem, a Harvard Business School case study titled Irick, Life Story of a Recent MBA by Nitin Nohria, and True North by Bill George.
In The Go Point, Useem describes how some individuals seek out responsibility from an early age. His path—from student-athlete to military officer to corporate leader—reflects this mindset. Useem outlines how he repeatedly volunteered for larger and more challenging roles, both in uniform and later in his business career.
In True North, George presents him as an example of values-driven leadership. The book emphasizes that effective leaders serve others, whether they be colleagues or broader stakeholders. His career is portrayed as one built on alignment between personal values and leadership style.
Philanthropic Endeavors
Jaime and his wife support educational access through multiple endowed scholarships. These scholarships assist under-resourced students and are based at The Gilbert School (5 years), Teachers College at Columbia University (3+ years), and Lewis & Clark College (3+ years) in Oregon.
Personal Life
Jaime Irick was born in the Bronx, New York. He now lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife and three children. In his spare time, he enjoys reading biographies and supporting his children’s interest in taekwondo. Irick continues to make significant contributions through leadership, service, and philanthropy.
