MOHAWK STRENGTHENS SUSTAINABILITY FUNCTION WITH KEY APPOINTMENTS

DALTON (October 21, 2009)—Mohawk Industries has further enhanced its sustainability management with two key appointments.  Bill Kilbride has been appointed to Chief Sustainability Officer and Jenny Cross has been promoted to Director of Sustainability for the company. Both are new positions. Kilbride will also continue to serve as President of Mohawk Home. 

Bill Kilbride
Chief Sustainability Officer

As Chief Sustainability Officer, Kilbride will head a sustainability council made up of the presidents of Mohawk Industries’ three strategic business units and will support the company’s total efforts in environmental compliance, conservation, reuse and recycling.  Mohawk’s goal is to implement innovative methods to reduce resource utilization (electricity, water, gas, waste, etc.), champion value-added “green” initiatives, and market additional new products that deliver greater value.    

He will oversee the efforts of Mohawk Industries to reach its sustainability goals and the marketing of Mohawk’s GreenWorks™ initiatives to position Mohawk Industries and its brands as the best choice of choice for sustainable flooring. 

“Bill understands that what is good for the environment is good for our business, our customers and the consumer.  He has driven many improvements in all our soft surface businesses to drive down waste and increase recycling, and we’re looking forward to his continued leadership in this area,” said Chris Wellborn, Mohawk Chief Operating Officer.

Kilbride joined Mohawk in 1993 when it acquired American Rug Craftsmen.  Under his guidance, Mohawk Home has become the largest manufacturer of area rug and related textile products in America.  The Mohawk Home Division sells and sources floor covering and textile products around the world, and in the United States services both major retailers and smaller organizations. 

Jenny Cross
Director of Sustainability

Supporting the executive teams as Director of Sustainability, Cross will manage communications around Mohawk sustainability initiatives, determine opportunities for improved alignment of existing activities, and forge cross-functional relationships with all of Mohawk’s business units to support the goals of the organization. She will research and define best practices, manage accurate and timely reporting of sustainability programs and institute regular monitoring programs to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of those programs. She will build relationships with industry groups and trade organizations to enhance the company’s position as a sustainability leader and develop metrics against which Mohawk can measure and track the success of its efforts.

Cross began her career in flooring in 1992 and came to Mohawk in 2004 as the Soft Surface Brand Manager for Mohawk’s residential flooring division. She was promoted to Senior Sustainability Manager in 2008.

Cross was instrumental in helping bring Mohawk’s innovative SmartStrand^® fiber made with DuPont™ Sorona^® renewably sourced polymer to market.  With SmartStrand, 37% of the petroleum used to produce the fiber is replaced with renewable resources such as corn sugar.  Seven yards of carpet made with SmartStrand Fiber made with DuPont Sorona renewably source polymer save the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. 

“Jenny’s industry background and her knowledge of our organization’s philosophy, history and vision regarding sustainability ideally position her for success in this new role. She will continue to work with many groups across the organization to deliver a strong and meaningful message internally and externally and to ensure that our actions are consistent with that message,” Kilbride said.

Mohawk GreenWorks™ is the umbrella of environmental initiatives for Mohawk Industries.  Mohawk is the largest recycler in the flooring industry, and the leader in recycled and renewable flooring.  Mohawk diverts over three billion pounds of material from landfills each year, and this number is growing.  Mohawk’s goal is to develop processes and products that allow the company to focus on the five “Rs” of the GreenWorks platform:  reduce, recover, reuse, renew, and recycle.   Learn more at www.mohawkgreenworks.com.

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Mohawk is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications. Mohawk offers a complete selection of broadloom carpet, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone, vinyl, rugs and other home products. These products are marketed under the premier brands in the industry, which include Mohawk, Karastan, Ralph Lauren, Lees, Bigelow, Columbia, Century, Dal-Tile, American Olean and Quick-Step. Mohawk's unique merchandising and marketing assist our customers in creating the consumers' dream. Mohawk provides a premium level of service with its own trucking fleet and over 250 local distribution locations.

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