Barnes Barton Appointed as New CEO of PPG
News provided byPavement Preservation Group Inc · 2 min read
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 3, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Pavement Preservation Group (PPG), a portfolio company of The Sterling Group (Sterling), has announced the appointment of Barnes Barton as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Darin Matson, the current CEO, will retire on September 1, 2026.
Barton brings over two decades of executive leadership experience to PPG. He spent 16 years at CRH, a multinational construction materials company, in various roles, including President of the South Division, CRH Americas Materials, and multiple business leadership positions. Additionally, Barton served on the board of Sterling's Frontline Road Safety investment from 2023 until its sale to Bain Capital in 2025. Since 2024, he has been a member of the board of the National Asphalt Pavement Association.
Brad Staller, a partner at Sterling, expressed enthusiasm about Barton's appointment. "We're excited to partner with Barnes again as PPG enters its next chapter of growth. His operating track record and experience leading regional platforms, combined with the trust we built working together at Frontline, give us confidence in PPG's continued strong trajectory," Staller said.
Barton echoed the sentiment, stating, "I am thrilled to join PPG at such an exciting moment in the company's evolution. I look forward to working alongside PPG's talented team to build on the strong foundation already in place and deliver even greater value to our customers and partners."
PPG specializes in providing specialized pavement preservation products and services aimed at extending the useful life of asphalt infrastructure through cost-effective solutions. Sterling and PPG plan to continue growing the platform through organic expansion and disciplined acquisitions, with the goal of strengthening PPG's position as a leading national provider of pavement preservation solutions, backed by robust local execution capabilities.
Sterling, founded in 1982, is a private equity and private credit investment firm focusing on basic manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services companies. The firm has sponsored the buyout of 78 platform companies and numerous add-on acquisitions, resulting in a total transaction value of over $25 billion. As of now, Sterling manages approximately $9 billion in assets under management. For more information, visit www.sterling-group.com.