Owens Corning names new group president-building materials

Toledo-based building products company Owens Corning has named Karel K. Czanderna to the post of group president-building materials. The company’s building materials group includes Owens Corning's insulation, roofing and asphalt, masonry products and construction services businesses.

Before joining Owens Corning in 2008, Czanderna held various executive management positions in the home channel. She was most recently vp-cooking products and outdoor kitchens businesses at Whirlpool, responsible for Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Whirlpool, Maytag and Amana branded cooking appliances. As vp and general manager of KitchenAid at Whirlpool, she designed and executed the largest simultaneous all-kitchen product launch in the history of the major appliance industry.

"I am pleased to have Karel join our team," said Mike Thaman, chairman and CEO of Owens Corning. "Karel brings great leadership experience from well-respected, global companies. She has a proven track record of innovating in response to market change.”

Prior to her work at Whirlpool, Czanderna spent 18 years at Eastman Kodak, serving as vp and general manager of the company’s portrait photography business, and as a vp and general manager of its copier and printer business.

Czanderna holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Clarkson University and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from Cornell University.