Hicken of Named Chairman of Irvine-Based Armor All

Armor All Products Corp., an Irvine-based supplier of automobile-care products, has named Kenneth C. Hicken, a McKesson Corp. executive and Armor All director, chairman of the company.

Hicken succeeds Thomas W. Field Jr., who resigned last month as chairman, chief executive and a director of McKesson Corp., which owns 83% of Armor All, and concurrently as a chairman and director of Armor All.

Field’s resignation came after a dispute with McKesson’s board over his management style and plans for the company. McKesson, based in San Francisco, is a $7-billion company that distributes drugs and health-care products.

Hicken, 61, has held various management positions since joining McKesson in 1965 and is executive vice president of operations. Before coming to McKesson, he held several managerial posts at Stokely-Van Camp Inc. (1961-65) and General Foods Corp. (1951-61).

A graduate of Pace University in New York, Hicken plans to work out of his office in San Francisco.

Armor All also named Ronald C. Anderson, 47, a McKesson vice president, to the director’s seat left vacant by Field’s resignation. Anderson is also president of McKesson’s Service Merchandising Division. McKesson holds three of seven seats on Armor All’s board of directors.