Holcim Ltd's Executive Committee member MARKUS AKERMANN will take over from THOMAS SCHMIDHEINY as CEO of the company as of Jan. 1, 2002. He will be proposed for election to the Board of Directors at the annual general meeting on May 24, 2002. Schmidheiny will concentrate on the strategic tasks of the Chairman of the Board, and will remain the company's largest shareholder. The board is planning to establish an audit committee and a compensation committee, in line with international standards.

Also at Holcim, executive committee member URS BIERI was appointed Deputy Chairman of the committee, effective Jan. 1, 2002.

GERHARD MUEHLBEYER joined the Executive Committee of Lehigh Portland Cement Co. as vice president-materials, reporting directly to Helmut Erhard, president and CEO.

JEFFREY L. GARRETT joined Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc. (CTL), Skokie, Ill., as senior principal structural engineer in the Structural Engineering Group. Garrett comes to CTL from Exponent Failure Analysis Assoc., Inc., where he served as a senior managing engineer in the Chicago office. Also at CTL, RUTH ANN FRANCIS was appointed vice president for finance and administration.