Bailey A. Thomas; McCormick Spice Company Chairman

Bailey A. Thomas, 63, chairman and chief executive officer of McCormick & Co. He joined the spice and seasonings company in 1961 and had been a director since 1977. He was named president and chief executive officer in March, 1992, and became chairman and CEO on Jan. 1, 1993. President and chief operating officer H. Eugene Blattman will head the company until the board of directors chooses a successor, probably in the next few days. McCormick, based in Sparks, Nev., has 8,600 employees worldwide. In Sparks on Thursday of a heart attack.