Piscataway,   NJ  -  December  16,  1999  -  American
         Standard  Companies Inc.  (NYSE:ASD)  today  announced that Emmanuel A.
         Kampouris will retire from service on the Company's  Board of Directors
         on December 31, 1999.

                        As previously  announced,  Frederic M. Poses will assume
         the roles of Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer on January 1, 2000.
         Mr.  Kampouris  joined  American  Standard's  plumbing  products  Greek
         subsidiary in 1966 as General Manager of Manufacturing.  He was elected
         President and Chief  Executive  Officer in 1989 following the Company's
         management  led leveraged  buyout and elected  Chairman of the Board of
         Directors in 1993.

                        The Company also  announced  that Horst  Hinrichs,  Vice
         Chairman,  is retiring as a director at year-end.  Mr.  Hinrichs joined
         WABCO,  the  Company's  automotive  unit,  in 1959 in Brussels and held
         various  executive  positions  prior to his  appointment as Senior Vice
         President and a director in 1991.