3M issued the following statement from Inge G. Thulin, 3M chairman, president and chief executive officer, on the passing of Livio D. “Desi” DeSimone, former 3M chairman and chief executive officer, on Jan. 17, 2017.

“Desi was a bold leader who courageously guided 3M through the turbulent economic decade of the 1990s. During his tenure as chairman and CEO, he strengthened 3M’s portfolio through his actions including the spinoff of the imaging systems business. He made long-term investments in core technology platforms, such as microreplication, that today are used broadly across our enterprise. Desi was a champion of the environment and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to sustainable business practices for 3M and the community.”

Mr. DeSimone was 3M’s chairman of the board and chief executive officer from 1991 to 2001, and served on 3M’s board of directors from 1986 to 2001. Throughout his 43-year 3M career, Desi held executive positions for most of 3M’s business sectors as well serving as area vice president, Latin America, and managing director, 3M Brazil. He joined the company as a process engineer and held multiple technical positions in Canada, United States, Australia and Brazil.

A native of Montreal, Canada, Mr. DeSimone held a degree in chemical engineering from McGill University.