Exhibit 24
                                                                      ----------
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned directors of H.B.
FULLER COMPANY, a Minnesota corporation, which proposes to file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington D.C. 20549, under the provisions
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, a Form 10-K Annual Report
for the Company's fiscal year ended November 30, 1996, hereby constitute and
appoint ANTHONY L. ANDERSEN, JORGE WALTER BOLANOS AND RICHARD C. BAKER his/her
true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, with full power
to act without the other, for him/her and in his/her name, place and stead to
sign such annual report with power, where appropriate, to affix the corporate
seal of said Company thereto, and to attest said seal, and to file such annual
report so signed, with all exhibits thereto, and any and all other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the
appropriate office of any state, hereby granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any and all
acts and things requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he/she might do in person, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them,
may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands as of the
5th day of December, 1996.
 
/s/Anthony L. Andersen                     /s/Reatha C. King
- ----------------------------               ----------------------------
ANTHONY L. ANDERSEN                        REATHA CLARK KING
Chairman of the Board                      Director


/s/Norbert R. Berg                         /s/Walter Kissling
- ----------------------------               ----------------------------
NORBERT R. BERG                            WALTER KISSLING
Director                                   President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer and Director

 
/s/Edward L. Bronstien, Jr.                /s/John J. Mauriel, Jr.
- ----------------------------               ----------------------------
EDWARD L. BRONSTIEN, JR.                   JOHN J. MAURIEL, JR.
Director                                   Director


/s/Robert J. Carlson                       /s/Lee R. Mitau
- ----------------------------               ----------------------------
ROBERT J. CARLSON                          LEE R. MITAU
Director                                   Director


/s/Freeman A. Ford                         /s/Rolf Schubert
- ----------------------------               ----------------------------
FREEMAN A. FORD                            ROLF SCHUBERT
Director                                   Vice President of Corporate Research
                                           and Development and Director

/s/Gail D. Fosler                          /s/Lorne C. Webster
- ----------------------------               ----------------------------
GAIL D. FOSLER                             LORNE C. WEBSTER
Director                                   Director