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RPM International Inc. Retirement Plan
The RPM International Inc. Retirement Plan operates as the private-sector pension vehicle for RPM International Inc., the Medina, Ohio-based manufacturer of...
RPM International Inc. Retirement Plan
The RPM International Inc. Retirement Plan operates as the private-sector pension vehicle for RPM International Inc., the Medina, Ohio-based manufacturer of specialty coatings, sealants, and building materials. The plan combines a matched 401(k) component with a legacy defined benefit pension, covering eligible U.S. associates of the parent company. Oversight sits with an internal investment committee that includes Chairman and CEO Frank C. Sullivan, CFO Russell L. Gordon, and VP of Corporate Benefits Janeen B. Kastner, who serves as plan administrator. The plan allocates across marketable securities and alternative investments, with a known footprint in United States real estate. Public filings and the committee's membership in the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, where RPM director Charles A. Ratner serves on the Board of Governors, suggest a meaningful commitment to real assets within the portfolio. The structure relies on Fidelity as the 401(k) recordkeeper, with plan assets accessed through the NetBenefits platform. No specific direct co-investment or fund-of-funds vehicles are publicly detailed by the plan. The RPM International Inc. Foundation, a related philanthropic entity, operates alongside the retirement plan, though the two are structurally distinct. The plan is administered not by an external OCIO but by RPM's own corporate benefits and risk management team, a model that embeds pension governance directly within the company's operating hierarchy. What distinguishes this pool is its integration with a single publicly traded industrials company. Rather than serving multiple employers or external beneficiaries, the plan moves in lockstep with RPM's workforce and financial health. Investment decisions appear to flow through the same executive suite that runs the commercial enterprise, creating a governance path that is shorter and more centralized than a typical multi-employer or public pension plan.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1989
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Medina
Corporate office
Medina, OH, United States
Principals
Frank C. Sullivan
Chairman and CEO
Russell L. Gordon
CFO
Janeen B. Kastner
VP - Corporate Benefits & Risk Management
Edward W. Moore
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for investment decisions at the RPM International Inc. Retirement Plan?
Investment oversight rests with an internal committee whose members include Chairman and CEO Frank C. Sullivan, CFO Russell L. Gordon, and VP of Corporate Benefits Janeen B. Kastner. Kastner is the named plan administrator, meaning day-to-day governance sits with RPM's corporate benefits function rather than an external consultant. The committee structure reflects the company's preference for keeping fiduciary control inside the management team that runs the operating business.
How is the plan structured — is it a 401(k), a defined benefit pension, or both?
The plan includes both a matched 401(k) component and an active defined benefit pension plan. The 401(k) is administered through Fidelity's NetBenefits platform. The defined benefit piece reflects RPM's legacy as a long-established industrial employer that has maintained a traditional pension alongside its defined-contribution offering.
Does the plan invest in alternative assets, and if so, in what categories?
Yes, the plan maintains an allocation to alternative investments with a known concentration in United States real estate. The presence of RPM director Charles A. Ratner on the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts indicates a strategic orientation toward real assets. Beyond real estate, the specific composition of the alternatives book is not publicly detailed.
How is the RPM International Inc. Foundation related to the retirement plan?
The RPM International Inc. Foundation is a separate philanthropic entity. It is not funded by or commingled with retirement plan assets. The foundation represents the family and corporate charitable giving of RPM and its leadership, but operates under a distinct governance structure from the pension committee.
Is the plan open to new participants, and who is eligible?
The plan covers eligible U.S. associates of RPM International Inc. As an active plan tied to a going concern, it continues to enroll qualifying employees of the parent company and its domestic subsidiaries. Eligibility criteria and vesting schedules are governed by the plan documents, which are not publicly filed in full but follow ERISA standards.
Does the plan use an outsourced chief investment officer or external investment consultant?
Publicly available information points to an internally managed investment committee rather than an OCIO arrangement. The named fiduciaries are all RPM corporate officers, suggesting the company retains direct control over asset allocation, manager selection, and monitoring. If an external consultant is retained, that relationship has not been disclosed.
What is the plan's posture toward co-investments alongside external managers?
No public evidence confirms that the RPM International Inc. Retirement Plan participates in direct co-investments or separately managed accounts alongside external general partners. Given the plan's internal management structure and the industrial nature of the sponsor, direct deal-level co-investing would be unusual without a dedicated alternatives team, which RPM has not disclosed.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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