Armstrong World Industries Names Austin So as SVP, General Counsel

LANCASTER, Pa., Jan. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Armstrong World Industries, Inc (NYSE:AWI), a leader in the design, innovation and manufacture of commercial and residential ceiling, wall and suspension system solutions, announced today that Austin So will join AWI as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary effective Feb. 1, 2022. Mr. So succeeds Mark Hershey, who, as previously announced, assumed the position of senior vice president, Americas at the beginning of 2022. In addition to leading the company’s legal organization, Mr. So will also oversee AWI’s sustainability and compliance programs.

Mr. So joins AWI with 20 years of diverse legal experience gained from holding both corporate and private practice positions. Most recently, he served as senior vice president, chief legal officer and secretary for StoneMor Inc., an NYSE publicly traded owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes. Prior to StoneMor, he served as division general counsel and secretary for Heraeus Holding GMBH, a global Fortune 500 manufacturing conglomerate, where he led an international team of lawyers managing all U.S.-related litigation and commercial transactions while also supporting global M&A and compliance programs. Mr. So started his career as a corporate attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York and continued to practice both transactional law and litigation at several other prominent law firms. He also founded his own law firm specializing in providing corporate transactional and litigation support for small and midsize businesses. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania.

“Austin is a proven leader with a broad understanding of complex legal, commercial and strategic matters. His ability to partner and collaborate across functions and regions while anticipating and mitigating risks in an engaged and proactive manner fits our culture and will serve AWI well,” said Vic Grizzle, AWI president and chief executive officer. “I am excited to welcome him to our senior leadership team and look forward to his contributions as we advance our growth strategy and continue our sustainability efforts.”  

About Armstrong World Industries

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) is a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial and residential ceiling, wall and suspension system solutions in the Americas. With $937 million in revenue in 2020, AWI has approximately 2,800 employees and a manufacturing network of 15 facilities, plus six facilities dedicated to its WAVE joint venture. 

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