Eagle Materials announces new chairman and CEO for independent companies

The Eagle Materials Inc Board of Directors approved a plan in 2019 to separate its Heavy and Light Materials businesses into independent, publicly-traded companies by means of a tax-free spin-off to Eagle shareholders. Significant progress has been made on this plan since the announcement, and the Company continues to target the summer of 2020 for the completion of the separation.

The Board of Directors announced the selection of the Chairman and CEO for each of the two companies, which would become effective upon the completion of the spin-off.

The Heavy Materials business will be spun-off and will be named Eagle Materials Inc. Mike Nicolais, current Eagle Materials chairman, will become chairman of the Board of the spun-off company, and Eagle Materials current President and CEO, Michael Haack, will become president and CEO.

The Light Materials business will be named American Gypsum Company. Dave Powers, former Eagle Materials CEO and current Eagle Materials board member, will become the chairman of American Gypsum. Craig Kesler, current CFO of Eagle Materials, will become the president and CEO of American Gypsum.

These decisions lay the ground-work for further decision-making with respect to the separation that will be made and communicated over the coming months, including decisions pertaining to matters such as the broader leadership teams and the capital structures for the two companies.

Mike Nicolais, Eagle’s chairman, remarked, “It is a Board imperative that both companies be launched this year with the experienced leadership required to assure continued success and to provide continuity on the factors that have made these businesses the benchmark operating performers in their respective industries. We are fortunate to have great leadership options due to the strength and experience in our ranks. Dave Powers led the American Gypsum organisation for 11 years before becoming the President and CEO of Eagle Materials. Craig Kesler is a 16-year Eagle veteran and has served as CFO for the past 11 years. This degree of continuity and directly-relevant experience gives us every confidence that the transition to creating two separate, top-performing companies will be seamless and that both companies will continue to generate value for all shareholders.”