PITTSBURGH, Feb. 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MSA Safety, Inc. (NYSE: MSA),
the global leader in the development of advanced safety products
and solutions that help to protect people and facility
infrastructures, today announced that John
T. Ryan III, Director, has informed the Board of Directors
that he has decided not to seek re-election at the end of his term
and will instead retire from the Board when his term ends at the
company's annual meeting of shareholders this May.
Mr. Ryan is the grandson of company co-founder John T. Ryan Sr. He also is the son of the late
John T. Ryan Jr., who served as MSA
Chairman from 1963 to 1990. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa., Mr. Ryan has dedicated his
professional life to advancing the mission of MSA – "That men
and women may work in safety, and that they, their families and
their communities may live in health throughout the world."
Upon graduating magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Ryan served as an
officer in the U.S. Army in Military Intelligence. After earning an
M.B.A. degree from Harvard University,
Mr. Ryan joined MSA in 1969. From 1974 to 1986, he served in the
company's International segment, responsible for operations in
South America, Asia and the Middle
East. He held the role of Executive Vice President from 1986
to 1990, responsible for all of MSA's U.S. operations. He was
elected President of MSA in 1990, and in 1991, assumed the
additional responsibilities of Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer.
Mr. Ryan III served as Chairman and CEO of MSA until his
retirement from the company in 2008. Following his retirement, he
remained the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board until May 2015, after which he continued service as a
Director. Mr. Ryan has served as a Director of MSA since 1981.
Nish Vartanian, MSA Chairman and
CEO, commented, "When I think of MSA, I think of John and the
legacy he has helped to build and preserve over a remarkable
55-years of continuous service to the company. His dedication to
our mission, his commitment to managing with integrity, and his
care for all MSA associates – past, present, and future – were all
tremendous influences on my own career. Through the years, he has
served as an important mentor to me, and I know he has to many
other past and present leaders of MSA."
Mr. Vartanian continued, "In leading MSA, John oversaw the
continuation and enhancement of the company's position as a
respected global leader in the development and manufacturing of
products and solutions that help safeguard workers and facilities.
Most of all, he set an example for all MSA associates to follow by
doing those things with a steadfast commitment to integrity. His
leadership philosophy always recognized the importance of all
company stakeholders, and his vision was to improve society through
actions driven by longstanding core values. In many respects, John
was a Corporate Social Responsibility-focused leader long before
that term was established," Mr. Vartanian said.
Reflecting on his career, Mr. Ryan commented, "I believe every
person is put on this earth for a purpose. For me, I have always
felt my vocation in my business life is to do whatever I could to
ensure the success and continuity of the MSA business and its
mission to protect people at work and in harm's way around the
world."
He continued, "While I will no longer serve the company in an
official capacity, my interest in the company, as a retired
employee and shareholder, will not diminish. I would like to
comment that these recent 16 years for myself and the company have
been greatly enhanced by the excellent leadership we have had from
my successors Bill Lambert and
Nish Vartanian. I am also excited to
see Steve Blanco moving into the
role of CEO in May of this year. Steve has a very strong
understanding of the company's mission and has demonstrated the
necessary experience and leadership skills during an already
successful career at MSA. I have long respected his work and I am
confident he will do a great job leading MSA Safety into the
future."
Bob Bruggeworth, the company's
Lead Independent Director, said, "John's contributions to the Board
will be missed. His strong business acumen, commitment to the
company's mission and values, and his deep understanding of
corporate governance were of continued value to the Board. We wish
John the best in his retirement and congratulate him on his
tremendous success throughout a long and distinguished career."
In addition to his MSA experiences, Mr. Ryan is a past member of
the Executive Committee of the Allegheny Conference on Community
Development (a position in which he and his father sequentially
served for 60 years) and a past Chairman of the Board of Directors
of the International Safety Equipment Association. He has been a
member of the Council on Foreign Relations for 43 years and serves
as a member of the Advisory Council of Business at the University of Notre Dame and as a trustee of the
Extra Mile Foundation that supports inner-city Catholic schools in
Pittsburgh.
Mr. Ryan and his wife Catharine have three children, four
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and have lived in their
home in Pittsburgh for over 54
years.
About MSA Safety
MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) is the global leader in
advanced safety products, technologies and solutions. Driven by its
singular mission of safety, the Company has been at the forefront
of safety innovation since 1914, protecting workers and facility
infrastructure around the world across a broad range of diverse end
markets while creating sustainable value for shareholders. With
2023 revenues of $1.8
billion, MSA Safety is headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania and employs a
team of over 5,000 associates across its more than 40 international
locations. For more information, please visit
www.MSASafety.com.
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SOURCE MSA Safety
