Corporate Governance

Alvaro Garcia-Tunon has served on the Board of Directors since October 2009. Mr. Garcia-Tunon retired as the Chief Financial Officer of Wabtec Corporation, a provider of products and services for the global rail industry, effective January 1, 2014. He continued to work with Wabtec as a strategic advisor through December 2017. Mr. Garcia-Tunon was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Wabtec in February 2012. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Wabtec since December 2010. Prior thereto, he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Wabtec since 2003. Having served as the Chief Financial Officer of a public company with global operations, Mr. Garcia-Tunon has leadership skills in international business, corporate governance and risk management. As a Certified Public Accountant, he also provides the Board and the Audit Committee, of which he is a Chairman, the strong financial and accounting skills required to be considered a financial expert. Mr. Garcia-Tunon is also Chairman of the Special Committee and is a member of the Executive and Compensation Committees. Mr. Garcia-Tunon currently is serving on the board of directors and audit committee of Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc., a global provider of commercial-duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Mr. Garcia-Tunon graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Juris Doctor degree and is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Accounting.

Joseph C. Bartolacci was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Matthews in 2006 and has served on the Board of Directors since 2005. In his current role, he provides a unique perspective on Board decisions focused on the strategic direction of the company. He has firsthand operating experience in many of Matthew’s diverse global businesses and a well-developed understanding of the industries in which Matthews operates. Joe additionally looks at opportunities within those industries to drive shareholder value.

Before his appointment to CEO, Joe has held various other positions within Matthews, including President and Chief Operating Officer; Executive Vice President of Matthews; Casket Division President; Matthews Europe President; Caggiati, S.p.A. President; and General Counsel of Matthews.

Joe received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Saint Vincent College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh. Outside of Matthews, Joe serves on the board of Federated Hermes, a publicly traded global investment management company.

Gregory S. Babe, who has served as Matthews’ Chief Technology Officer since November 2015, was recently appointed Group President, Matthews Industrial Technologies segment. In his new role as Group President for the Industrial Technologies segment and Head of Matthews Engineering, Greg is leading the commercialization of new applied engineering technologies serving the fast-growing green energy and electric vehicle markets. In addition, Greg has been on Matthews’ Board of Directors since November 2010. He possesses a strong background in manufacturing, regulatory and government affairs, additionally serving as a member of the Board’s Finance and Special Committees at Matthews. Prior to his current role, Greg served as Matthew’s Executive Vice President of Global Information Technology and Integration.

Before working at Matthews, Greg served as Chief Executive Officer of Orbital Engineering, Inc., a privately held engineering services company. He also previously held the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Corporation and Bayer Material Science LLC for nearly eight years.

Greg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University. Outside of Matthews, Greg serves on the board of the Benedum Foundation, where he is a member of the investment committee. He also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Liquid X Printed Metals, Inc., a Carnegie Mellon University spin-out.

Katherine E. Dietze has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since July 2008. Ms. Dietze was Global Chief Operating Officer, Investment Banking Division of Credit Suisse First Boston, a financial services company, until her retirement in 2005. She had also held the position of Managing Director, Investment Banking. Prior to joining Credit Suisse First Boston, Ms. Dietze was a Managing Director for Salomon Brothers Inc., a financial services company. Ms. Dietze brings a strong background in global investment and financial matters. With her background in investment banking, Ms. Dietze provides a unique and valuable perspective on global financial markets, investments and financial transactions. Ms. Dietze received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and graduated from Columbia University with a Masters in Business Administration in Finance and Marketing. Ms. Dietze serves as Chairperson of the Finance Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. She is also a director and chairperson of the audit committee of Cowen Group, Inc., a financial services firm. She previously served as chairperson of the audit committee and member of both the governance and compensation committees for LaBranche, LLC, a financial services firm purchased by the Cowen Group in June 2011. Ms. Dietze served as a Trustee on the Liberty Property Trust board from January, 2011 to March, 2020.

Terry L. Dunlap has served on the Board of Directors since February 2015. Mr. Dunlap currently serves as the principal of Sweetwater LLC, a consulting firm with a focus on manufacturing. Mr. Dunlap served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of TimkenSteel Corporation, a specialty steel producer, from October 2019 to December 2020. Prior thereto, Mr. Dunlap spent 31 years with Allegheny Technologies, where he served as Executive Vice President, Flat-Rolled Products from May 2011 until his retirement in December 2014, President, ATI Allegheny Ludlum from 2002 to 2014, and Group President, ATI Flat-Rolled Products from 2008 to May 2011. Mr. Dunlap’s experience and knowledge in the global manufacturing industry are valuable resources to the Company's Board. Mr. Dunlap received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and attended the Loyola University of Chicago MBA program. Mr. Dunlap is a member of the Compensation, Corporate Governance, and Special Committees of the Board. Mr. Dunlap serves on the board of directors of United States Steel Corporation, an American integrated steel producer. Previously, he served on the board of directors for TimkenSteel Corporation, Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation, and the Foundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania (FIUP).

Lillian D. Etzkorn was appointed to the Board of Directors on October 1, 2020. Ms. Etzkorn served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Covia Corporation from October 2021 to August 2022. Ms. Etzkorn previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Shiloh Industries, Inc., Chief Financial Officer for CPI Card Group, and was the Vice President, Treasurer of Dana Inc. from September 2011 to January 2017. Ms. Etzkorn’s strong leadership skills and financial acumen will be important assets to Matthews. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Morgan K. O’Brien has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since July 2011. Mr. O’Brien served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC, a utility serving the southwestern Pennsylvania market, from February 2010 until March 16, 2020. Prior thereto, Mr. O’Brien served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Duquesne Light Holdings, an electric utility company serving western Pennsylvania, since 2001. He held various senior executive positions at Duquesne Light Holdings since 1991. Prior to joining Duquesne Light Holdings, Mr. O’Brien served in various management positions at PNC Bank and at major accounting firms. Having served as a Chief Executive Officer and with more than 10 years experience in that role, Mr. O’Brien brings significant leadership skills to the Board of Directors. With his experience in the areas of accounting and taxation, he also provides the Board and the Audit Committee, of which he is a member, with strong financial skills. Mr. O’Brien is also Chairman of the Compensation Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. Mr. O’Brien received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Masters degree in taxation from Robert Morris University. Mr. O’Brien serves on the board of trustees of Robert Morris University. He also serves on the boards of several civic and charitable organizations in Western Pennsylvania.

Dr. Aleta W. Richards, elected to serve on the Board of Directors in 2023, currently serves as Executive Vice President of Specialty Films for Covestro Deutschland AG located in Dormagen, Germany. In this role since July 2021, she leads the specialty films business globally, directing all business functions with responsibility for the full income statement of the business unit. Previously serving in multiple executive and senior leadership roles in sales and marketing, product management and human resources at both Covestro and Bayer, Dr. Richards will provide valuable expertise and guidance to the Company. She is a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. Dr. Richards has a B.S. in Business (Communications and Human Resources) from the University of Pittsburgh, an MBA from the Katz School University of Pittsburgh in Marketing and International Business and a Doctor of Business Administration from the Ross School of Business, Georgia State University.

David A. Schawk has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since the Company's acquisition of Schawk Inc. ("Schawk") on July 29, 2014. Effective November 1, 2019, Mr. Schawk retired from his role as Group President, SGK Brand Solutions and as an officer of the Company, which he held from July 2014. Mr. Schawk previously served as Schawk’s Chief Executive Officer since 1992, and Chief Executive Officer and President for more than five years prior thereto. He also served on the Schawk Board of Directors since 1992. Mr. Schawk is considered well-qualified to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors based on his experience as a Chief Executive Officer and director of a multinational brand development and brand management company.

Jerry R. Whitaker has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since July 2011. Mr. Whitaker was President of Electrical Sector-Americas, Eaton Corporation, a global manufacturer of highly engineered products, until his retirement in June 2011. Prior thereto, he served in various management positions at Eaton Corporation since 1994. Prior to joining Eaton Corporation, Mr. Whitaker spent 22 years with Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Mr. Whitaker’s experience and knowledge as an executive in global manufacturing industries and acquisition integration are valuable resources to the Company. Mr. Whitaker is the Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit and Executive Committees of the Company. Mr. Whitaker received a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University and a Masters in Business Administration from George Washington University. He currently serves as a director on the boards of The Milliken Company, a privately-held diversified industrial company, where he is a member of the compensation committee and serves as chairman of the audit committee, and Sealed Air Corporation, a global leader in packaging, food safety and hygiene, where he serves as chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Whitaker also serves on the advisory board of the School of Engineering at Syracuse University.

Francis Wlodarczyk was elected to Board of Directors in 2024. He brings 35 years of experience in industrial automation, working with global and regional manufacturers in many industries, including automotive, material handling, packaging and consumer products. Most recently, Mr. Wlodarczyk served as Senior Vice President, Intelligent Devices at Rockwell Automation located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In this role, he led a multi-billion-dollar global business, responsible for strategic direction, growth, and profitability. Throughout his tenure at Rockwell Automation, Mr. Wlodarczyk served in multiple senior leadership positions in the U.S. and Europe, including roles in general management, strategy development, sales, business development and engineering. 

Fran holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.