UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 21, 2007 (September 19, 2007)
GREIF, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-00566 | 31-4388903 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| 425 Winter Road, Delaware, Ohio | 43015 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (740) 549-6000
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Section 5 – Corporate Governance and Management
| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
| Items 5.02(c) |
On September 19, 2007, Greif, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that David B. Fischer was elected to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, effective October 1, 2007. Mr. Fischer previously served as the Company’s Senior Vice President and President of Industrial Packaging & Services of the Company’s North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia business units. Mr. Fischer succeeds Michael J. Gasser as President, who continues to serve as the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Information required by Items 401(b), (d), (e) and Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K with respect to Mr. Fischer’s business experience and other matters is set forth under the caption “Executive Officers of the Company” included in the Company’s definitive Proxy Statement for its 2007 annual meeting of stockholders (filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 2, 2007), which information is incorporated herein by reference.
Section 8 – Other Events
| Item 8.01 | Other Events. |
On September 19, 2007, the Company issued a press release announcing Mr. Fischer’s election as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. In addition, the Company announced that effective October 1, 2007, Michael C. Patton, Senior Vice President of Paper, Packaging & Services, had been appointed as divisional President of Paper, Packaging & Services and Industrial Packaging & Services of the Company’s North America business unit, and that Ivan Signorelli, Senior Vice President of Industrial Packaging & Services, had been appointed as divisional President of Industrial Packaging & Services of the Company’s European strategic business unit.
The full text of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K.
Section 9. Financial Statements and Exhibits
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (c) | Exhibits. |
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release issued by Greif, Inc. on September 19, 2007. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| GREIF, INC. | ||||||
| Date: September 21, 2007 | By | /s/ Donald S. Huml | ||||
| Donald S. Huml, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||||||
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 99.1 | Press release issued by Greif, Inc. on September 19, 2007. |
EXHIBIT 99.1
NEWS
David B. Fischer Named President of Greif, Inc.
Michael C. Patton to Head Greif’s Paper and North America Industrial Packaging Businesses
DELAWARE, Ohio (Sept. 19, 2007) – The Board of Directors of Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B) has elected David B. Fischer, 45, president and chief operating officer of the company. Fischer was senior vice president and divisional president of Industrial Packaging & Services of Greif’s North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia business units.
The position of president had been held by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Gasser.
Michael C. Patton, 46, senior vice president of Paper, Packaging & Services, will also lead IP&S – North America. He was named divisional president as well.
Senior Vice President Ivan Signorelli, 55, of Greif’s IP&S – Europe strategic business unit, also adds the title of divisional president.
Signorelli and Patton will report to Fischer. The changes are effective Oct. 1.
Gasser said, “David’s proven track record in operations, mergers and acquisitions and business integration make him ideally suited for his new position. His leadership and counsel will be a driving force as we continue to execute our aggressive growth strategy.
Mike has been a strong leader in all his roles within Greif. Because of his deep understanding of the Greif Business System and his ability to effect change, he is the right person to take our business in North America to the next level.”
“With Ivan in Europe, we have a strong operations team in place that will be instrumental in achieving our goals,” Gasser said.
Fischer joined Greif in November 2004 to lead Greif’s Industrial Packaging & Services – Americas business. He was later assigned responsibility for the company’s IP&S businesses in Asia, Africa and Australia. He came to Greif from The Dow Chemical Company, where he was previously global business vice president of the company’s $1.8 billion polyurethanes business.
Fischer holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University where he majored in Chemistry.
Patton joined Greif in March 2000 as vice president and general manager, Multiwall Packaging. He was named vice president of Steel, IP&S – North America in 2002, and vice president and general manager for IP&S – North America, Midwest, in 2004. Later that year, he was named senior vice president, Transformation Worldwide and in 2005, was named to head Paper, Packaging & Services.
Patton holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Seton Hall University.
Signorelli joined Van Leer (acquired by Greif in 2001) in 1992 as the business unit manager of Italy. He was named BU manager of closures business American Flange in 1993 and promoted to strategic business unit manager of Latin America in 1997. Greif’s African businesses were added to his responsibilities in 2003. He was promoted to his current position in 2005.
Signorelli holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Inst. Educ. Luzwell and an MBA degree with a major in Marketing from Fundação Getulio Vargas, both in Brazil.
Greif is a world leader in industrial packaging products and services. The company produces steel, plastic, fibre, corrugated and multiwall containers, protective packaging and containerboard, and provides blending, filling and packaging services for a wide range of industries. Greif also manages timber properties in North America. The Company is strategically positioned in 45 countries to serve global as well as regional customers. Additional information is on the Company’s website at www.greif.com.
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Contact: Deb Strohmaier, APR
Vice President, Communications
+1 740-549-6074
debra.strohmaier@greif.com