Contact:
                                                                Christopher Wyse
                                                                    616-923-3417
                                            christopher_wyse@email.whirlpool.com



                WHIRLPOOL NAMES THIENEMAN TO EXECUTIVE POSITION
                                        

     BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Sept. 24, 1997 -- Whirlpool Corporation announced
today that Michael D. Thieneman will become executive vice president of the
company's North American Region and join the executive committee. Thieneman
succeeds Ralph F. Hake, senior executive vice president of operations, who was
named to his current position in February.

     Thieneman, currently corporate vice president of global procurement, will
begin his new assignment effective immediately. Thieneman will be responsible
for all aspects of the company's North American business, reporting to Hake. A
successor to Thieneman has yet to be named.

     "Mike possesses the right balance of experience and leadership for this
position," Hake said. "He has a broad perspective of Whirlpool's global
business, having worked in the U.S., as well as Canada and Europe."

     Thieneman joined Whirlpool in 1977 as a product engineer. He has served as
president and CEO of Inglis Limited, the company's Canadian subsidiary, and was
president of Whirlpool Compressor Operations, in Riva di Chieri, Italy.

     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 about 140
countries.


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