Swanson School of Engineering Recognizes Timothy Knavish as Its 2026 Distinguished Alumnus in Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering
On March 25, the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering held its annual Distinguished Alumni Banquet at the University Club. Timothy M. Knavish, BSME ‘87, MBA ’93, was recognized at the event as the 2026 Distinguished Alumnus in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.
“Tim is a Pittsburgh native who has never strayed far from his roots, even while building a global career,” said Buddy Clark, Professor and Interim Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. “He earned both his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and today he leads one of the most iconic companies in our city’s history, PPG.”
“What makes Tim’s journey so compelling is that he started on the factory floor,” Clark added. “He joined PPG in 1987 as an engineer in the flat glass business and rose through virtually every part of the enterprise — process engineer, plant manager, supply chain director, general manager, and beyond.”
About Timothy Knavish
Tim Knavish is chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of PPG.
Knavish joined PPG in 1987 in an engineering role in the former flat glass business and was based at the corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He then advanced through roles including process engineer, supervisor of technical services, manager of operations planning and scheduling, and superintendent of production in PPG’s former flat glass and automotive glass businesses before joining the architectural coatings business in 2000 as plant manager for the East Point, Georgia manufacturing facility.
In 2002, Knavish returned to Pittsburgh as director, supply chain for the former automotive replacement glass business, and in 2004, he became global director, manufacturing and supply chain for the automotive refinish coatings business. He moved to Australia in 2005 as managing director, Australia and New Zealand coatings, and general manager, automotive refinish. In 2007, Knavish assumed responsibility in Troy, Michigan, as general manager, automotive coatings, Americas, and in early 2010, he was elected as a vice president with the same scope of responsibility. He relocated to Pittsburgh in 2012 as global vice president, protective and marine coatings, and returned to Troy in March 2016 when he was appointed as an executive officer as senior vice president, automotive coatings.
Knavish returned to Pittsburgh in October 2017 as senior vice president, industrial coatings, leading PPG’s industrial coatings, packaging coatings, and coatings services businesses, the global supply management function, and PPG’s Asia Pacific region. In January 2019, he was appointed senior vice president, architectural coatings and president, PPG EMEA, and in October 2019, Knavish was promoted to executive vice president with responsibility for the global automotive refinish business, architectural coatings businesses in the U.S., Canada and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, PPG’s Latin America region and the digital and information technology functions. Knavish became PPG’s chief operating officer (COO) in March 2022, before being named President and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
A native of Pittsburgh, Knavish earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Knavish serves on the boards of the American Coatings Association, Allegheny Conference on Community Development as vice chair, and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He is also a director on the board of Rockwell Automation and a member of the Business Council. Knavish previously served on the board of Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania.