Klamath Falls, OR -- JELD-WEN announced today that it has appointed Philip Orsino as President. Orsino was the President and CEO of Masonite International until 2005. Rod Wendt, who has been JELD-WEN’s CEO and President since 1992, will remain as CEO.

As President of JELD-WEN, Orsino will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of JELD-WEN’s business. He will work with the executive management team to continue to improve JELD-WEN’s overall operational and financial performance.

“I have known Philip for more than 25 years and it is an honor to welcome him to our executive team,” Wendt remarked.

JELD-WEN had announced earlier that Orsino would join JELD-WEN upon the closing of its equity investment agreement with Onex Corporation (TSX: OCX). The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter subject to completion of the associated debt refinancing and other customary conditions. JELD-WEN decided not to wait for the closing of the transaction and instead appointed Orsino ahead of schedule so that he could immediately participate in key initiatives.

After co-founding Century Door in 1983, Orsino led the company through its 1989 merger with Premdor, followed by the 2001 acquisition of Masonite Corporation from International Paper. Under Orsino’s leadership, Masonite grew organically and through acquisition to $2.5 billion in sales generated in 18 countries.

Orsino’s business experience extends beyond that of the door industry. He serves on the boards of Tomkins Building Products, Inc., RSI Home Products, Inc., Clairvest Inc. and the Bank of Montreal, where he chairs the audit committee. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University Health Network. Orsino was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2004, was the recipient of Canada's Outstanding Chief Executive Officer of the Year award in 2003, received the University of Toronto's Distinguished Business Alumni Award for 2002 and won the 1998 Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Manufacturing sponsored by Ernst & Young. Orsino holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

About JELD-WEN

JELD-WEN, inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of reliable windows and doors and is consistently ranked as Oregon’s largest privately owned company, and recorded in the top one-half of Forbes’ list of “America’s Largest Private Companies.” Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began in 1960 as a small Oregon millwork plant with 15 employees and today has approximately 20,000 employees worldwide. The company’s large product offering encompasses numerous varieties of windows, exterior doors and interior doors as well as specialty building products such as showerscreens and stair parts. JELD-WEN has been an ENERGY STAR Partner since 1998.

SOURCE: JELD-WEN