Newell Rubbermaid Appoints Michael B. Polk President and Chief Executive Officer

The Board of Directors of Newell Rubbermaid NWL today announced the appointment of Michael B. Polk as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 18. A Newell Rubbermaid director since 2009, Polk succeeds Mark Ketchum, who is retiring but intends to remain a director until the company's next board elections in May 2012. Polk, age 50, was most recently President of Global Foods, Home and Personal Care at Unilever, where he was responsible for the development, innovation and marketing of Unilever's entire $64 billion portfolio of categories and brands. During his eight years at Unilever, he is credited with transforming the company's business in the Americas and, in his latest role, sharpening Unilever's portfolio strategy and creating a more competitive, faster growing, innovation-driven organization. Polk has been a member of the Unilever Executive Board since 2007.