Kevin M. McMullen, 1982
B.A., Denison University
M.B.A., University of Chicago
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President
OMNOVA Solutions Inc.
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Citation awarded on Saturday, June 4, 2016
Kevin McMullen learned the values of teamwork, dedication and focus while playing baseball for the Big Red for four years. Those lessons and an intense drive to win have been assets in business, where Kevin leads a global enterprise that delivers products that provide critical performance features to some of the most respected brands in the world.
Kevin is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of OMNOVA Solutions Inc. (NYSE:OMN), a billion dollar global producer of product performance-enhancing chemistries and surfaces, with its World Headquarters in Beachwood, Ohio. OMNOVA Solutions was spun off from GenCorp in October 1999, at which time he was named President and Chief Operating Officer. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2000 and was elected Chairman of OMNOVA in 2001. He joined the company in 1996 as President of the Decorative & Building Products division.
Prior to joining GenCorp, Kevin was General Manager of Business Development and Strategic Planning for General Electric Corporation’s $3.5 billion Lighting Division in Cleveland, Ohio. He concluded his tenure at GE as General Manager of five businesses, which represented about half of the North American sales.
Previously, Kevin was with McKinsey & Company, serving for six years in Cleveland, and in various international assignments. He assisted clients in areas including corporate and business unit strategy and organizational development, technology management, new product development and sales force effectiveness. Prior to McKinsey, he was an analyst with Arthur Andersen & Company in Columbus, Ohio.
He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Denison University, where he graduated with highest honors and went on to complete his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, with concentrations in marketing and finance. Kevin is a member of the Board of Directors of OMNOVA Solutions and Steris Corporation, a global healthcare equipment, material and service provider. He is a trustee of Ideastream, an innovative, multimedia public broadcasting organization serving Northeast Ohio; Positive Coaching Alliance, an organization focused on developing positive life skills and values through youth sports; and Team NEO. All demonstrate his passion for living and working in Northeast Ohio – “America’s best kept secret.”
Kevin lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, with his wife Ilene and teenagers Rachel, Jack and Ryan.
