Curtis E. Espeland has served as a director of Lincoln Electric since 2012 and as Lead Independent Director since 2018, sitting on the Audit and Finance committees. He is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Eastman Chemical Company, an advanced materials and specialty additives manufacturer, a role he held from 2014 until his retirement in 2020.
Mr. Espeland joined Eastman Chemical in 1996 and during his tenure also served as Vice President, Finance and Chief Accounting Officer from 2005 to 2008 and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2008 to 2014. The board has determined that his broad-based finance, accounting and executive experience qualifies him as an audit committee financial expert.