He made his way up through the manufacturing side and was a key figure in American Can's packaging business, which it recently sold to Triangle Industries.
The company is a subsidiary of Triangle Industries.
Her father, now retired, was the general counsel and secretary of Triangle Industries, a diversified manufacturing company in New York.
A change in the 86-year-old name was made necessary when Triangle Industries bought American Can's packaging division last year.
Triangle Industries is the nation's largest manufacturer of containers.
Pechiney has agreed to acquire Triangle Industries, the largest American packaging company, for $56 a share, or $1.26 billion.
Triangle Industries, the giant packaging company, posted the largest gain - 516.7 percent.
Triangle Industries, the world's No. 1 consumer packaging concern, lost $16.6 million from continuing operations in the second quarter.
Mr. Sherwin left the company in 1983 to accept a post as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Triangle Industries.
Avery, whose leading shareholder is Triangle Industries, announced nearly a year ago that it planned to sell the specialty chemicals company.