Transitions Optical Announces Leadership Changes: CEO Elias Retires; Cole Returns to PPG and McDermott Named President

PINELLAS PARK, Fla.—After 40 years of service to PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) , including nearly 24 with Transitions Optical, Richard C. Elias, senior vice president, optical and specialty materials, and CEO, Transitions Optical, Inc., will be retiring, effective April 1, 2014.   The news and other executive changes were announced hours after Essilor International (Reuters: ESSI.PA) reported earlier, as reported this morning by VMail , that it has finalized the acquisition of PPG's 51 percent ownership stake in Transitions Optical, the leading provider of photochromic lenses to ophthalmic lens manufacturers, and 100 percent of the capital of Intercast, a manufacturer of premium sunlenses.   Elias joined PPG in 1975 as a chemist at the company's Allison Park, Pa., coatings research and development center. After advancing through several product-development assignments, Elias became program manager for photochromic lenses in PPG's chemicals segment in 1989. He was named vice president of sales and marketing when Transitions Optical, Inc. was established in 1990, and he became its president in 1995 and chief executive officer in 2007. Elias was named general manager of optical products for PPG in 1998 and was elected vice president, optical products, in early 2000. He was named senior vice president for the optical and specialty materials reporting segment at PPG in 2008. See more