Changing of the Guard – Cintas’ Legal Counsel Transition

Posted April 30, 2021 at 11:37 am




Cintas Corp., Mason, OH, recently announced that 20-year veteran Vice President and General Counsel Thomas E. Frooman, will retire, effective July 31, with his successor, Cincinnati attorney D. Brock Denton, slated to take office on Aug. 1, according to a news release. Denton, a partner with the firm of Keating, Muething & Klekamp (KMK), previously has served as Cintas’ lead outside general counsel.

Frooman, who joined Cintas in 2001, also came from KMK. As Cintas’ first in-house counsel, Frooman established and expanded the company’s legal group. “Tom has done so much for Cintas, and the company is much stronger and more stable because of his efforts,” said Chairman and CEO Scott Farmer. “Tom has been a tremendous employee-partner, but also a great friend over the years. I personally want to wish him well as he steps away.”

Todd Schneider, Cintas’ current Executive Vice president who’s slated to succeed Farmer as CEO, effective June 1, also offered words of praise for Frooman. “Tom has been a fantastic employee-partner at Cintas, and we will miss his many contributions,” Schneider says. “Tom has been central to our company’s growth and has had the vision to help us establish and grow many of our corporate areas. He’s been an invaluable resource and confidant to all of us here – and a close personal friend of mine. I want to wish him all the best as he focuses on his family and retirement now.”

Frooman returned the compliments, noting that, “I have had a wonderful career at Cintas for 20 years, and it has been a privilege and honor to be part of the company’s phenomenal growth,” he said. “We have accomplished a lot and grown to be a Fortune 500 company while continuing to keep our customers at the heart of our business. With the strong leadership group in place to lead Cintas into its next chapter, this is the right time for me to step away and spend more time with my family after a long and rewarding career.”

Denton, another veteran of KMK, one of Cincinnati’s leading law firms, has led the Business Representation and Transaction Group that handles all aspects of corporate law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions. For the past 21 years, Denton has served as Cintas’ outside counsel, leading or supporting more than 300 of the company’s acquisitions and mergers, including G&K Services, Zee Medical and Shred-It, as well as other company legal matters. Denton also served as general counsel for FC Cincinnati, a professional soccer team, and several privately held companies in the Cincinnati region while at KMK.

“After a thorough search to fill Tom’s role, Brock stood out for the depth and breadth of work he has done with Cintas,” Schneider said. “Brock has been part of most of our major business dealings during the last 20 years, and he brings a focused understanding of our business and culture. Brock is one of the region’s most respected attorneys and we look forward to him joining us and continuing to support our growth here at Cintas.”

“I want to thank Scott, Todd and Tom for their support and encouragement during this process, and I am looking forward to starting at Cintas later this summer,” Denton said. “Under Scott’s past leadership and with Todd’s vision as future CEO, Cintas has an exceptional group charting the company’s course, and I am excited to have a new role in the company as we move forward.” Click here for details.

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