8-K

 

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                   _________________________________________

                                   FORM 8-K
                                CURRENT REPORT


                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934


      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) February 18, 1997

                             WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
            ------------------------------------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Delaware                  1-3932                 38-1490038
- -----------------------------   ----------------     -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission File     (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation)           number)              Identification No.)

     2000 M63 North,  Benton Harbor, Michigan                 49022-2692
     -------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive officers)                 (Zip Code)


                                (616)-923-5000
              --------------------------------------------------
              Registrant's telephone number, including area code


 
Item 5.   Other Events
          ------------

     On February 19, 1997, the registrant announced the election of William D.
Marohn to Vice Chairman of the Board and Ralph F. Hake to Senior Executive Vice
President of Operations at the Board of Directors meeting on February 18, 1997.



Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits
          ---------------------------------

          Exhibit 1
          ---------

     Copy of a press release dated February 19, 1997 regarding the Company's
announcement of the election of William D. Marohn to Vice Chairman of the Board
and Ralph F. Hake to Senior Executive Vice President of Operations.



 
                                   SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                 WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
                                 Registrant



Date:  February 20, 1997      By:  /s/  Daniel F. Hopp
                                   ------------------------------
                                 Name:   Daniel F. Hopp
                                 Title:  Vice President, General
                                         Counsel and Secretary

EX-1

 
                                                                       T.R. Reid
                                                                    616/923-3417
                                                   T.R._Reid@email.whirlpool.com



                    WHIRLPOOL BOARD ELECTS MAROHN AND HAKE
                          TO NEW EXECUTIVE POSITIONS
                                        
     BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Feb. 19, 1997 -- The board of directors of
Whirlpool Corporation elected William D. Marohn vice chairman of the board and
Ralph F. Hake senior executive vice president of operations, both new positions.
Marohn was president and chief operating officer. Hake was executive vice
president, North American Appliance Group. The changes are effective
immediately.

     "These changes are driven by the ever-changing and increasing demands for
Bill Marohn to devote more time and attention to key corporation-wide issues and
initiatives that will accelerate the corporation's global integration process,"
said David R. Whitwam, chairman and CEO. "They will also enable Ralph Hake to
focus on profitably growing and leveraging the company's four regional major-
appliance businesses. These changes strike the right balance between the
company's longer-term strategic needs and the shorter-term operating demands of
the company."

     In addition to his role as vice chairman of the board and member of the
Office of the Chairman, Marohn will be responsible for leading certain key
global initiatives: product development, technology management, cost-structure
reduction and quality.

     The company's four regional appliance businesses -- Asia, Europe, Latin
America and North America -- will report to Hake whose successor as head of the
North American Appliance Group has yet to be named.



                                   - more -

 
     Marohn has been president and chief operating officer and a member of the
board of directors since October 1992. He joined Whirlpool in 1964, holding
numerous positions in manufacturing and technology, and serving as head of the
company's North American and European operations.

     Hake has been executive vice president of the North American Appliance
Group since September 1992. He joined the company in 1987, holding several key
financial and operations positions, including corporate vice president and
controller and president of the company's Bauknecht Appliance Group in Europe.

     Whirlpool is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home
appliances. Headquartered in Benton Harbor, the company manufactures in 13
countries and markets products under 11 major brand names in 140 countries.

                                      ###