ITW Announces Election of John Hartnett as Executive Vice President of Global Construction Products

GLENVIEW, IL--May 18, 2012: Illinois Tool Works Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has elected John Hartnett to Executive Vice President of Global Construction Products. Mr. Hartnett, 52, has 32 years of experience in a variety of ITW businesses.

Most recently, Mr. Hartnett served as Group President of the Automotive Aftermarket businesses.  Prior to that, he held a series of management and engineering roles for numerous businesses in Industrial Packaging.  He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Marquette University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

"Given his accomplishments during his long tenure with ITW, we're pleased to add John to our executive vice president ranks," said David B. Speer, chairman and chief executive officer. "As head of our global construction businesses, we believe John has the right blend of strategy and hands-on experience to help drive continued growth in what will certainly be a major end market recovery story for the company."

Celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2012, ITW is a Fortune 150 global diversified industrial manufacturer of value-added consumables and specialty equipment with related service businesses. The Company focuses on profitable growth and strong returns across worldwide platforms and businesses. These businesses serve local customers and markets around the globe, with a significant presence in developed as well as emerging markets. ITW's revenues totaled $17.8 billion in 2011, with more than half of these revenues generated outside of the United States.