The company said Charles A. "Chuck" Dowd, a Masco Corp. group president who oversees the operations of Behr, will assume Lazof's responsibilities until a successor is named. Masco, a diversified manufacturer of home-improvement products and coatings, acquired Behr in 1999. Behr is a manufacturer of architectural coatings and stains, and is a major paint supplier to home-center industry giant Home Depot.

The news announcement regarding Lazof's resignation provided no explanation regarding the action. The statement said that during his five-year tenure at Behr, "Mr. Lazof led the company to achieve unparalleled growth in sales and earnings. He provided leadership to Behr in its move from a privately held, family-run business to that of a major division of publicly held, international manufacturer."