TOLEDO, Ohio, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), a world leader in building materials systems and glass fiber reinforcements, today announced John Hillenbrand as chief innovation officer. In this role, Mr. Hillenbrand will be responsible for leading Owens Corning's global science and technology organization in bringing innovations to the marketplace that create value for Owens Corning and its customers.

Mr. Hillenbrand has more than 20 years of experience with the DuPont Company. He spent the last six years in global research and development, serving most recently as vice president, innovation and technology, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. During his tenure at DuPont, he was director of DuPont Ventures, which serves as a corporate open-innovation function by investing in and partnering with entrepreneurial companies to create and incubate new growth opportunities. Mr. Hillenbrand also held several other roles in business, manufacturing, and technical leadership.

"John's addition to our executive leadership team will drive the next exciting period of innovation at Owens Corning," said Mike Thaman, chairman and chief executive officer. "We have asked John to utilize his experience to maximize the value of our global technology organization."

The appointment of Mr. Hillenbrand fills an opening that was created last fall when Frank O'Brien-Bernini was appointed as the company's chief sustainability officer, which allowed Owens Corning to increase its focus on the market opportunity of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction.

Under Mr. O'Brien-Bernini's leadership, Owens Corning's sustainability organization is structured to work closely with customers to drive market demand for energy efficiency and a greener built environment, while also accelerating the company's success in reducing the energy intensity and emissions of its own manufacturing operations.

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune 500 company for 53 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability through delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass fiber technology with sales of $5 billion in 2007 and 19,000 employees in 26 countries on five continents. Additional information is available at www.owenscorning.com.

SOURCE Owens Corning