Cat announces retirements, promotions
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 11 October 2012 18:25
- Written by The Peorian
Two group presidents of Caterpillar Inc. will retire in the next few months, the company announced on Thursday.
Rich Lavin, 60, group president responsible for construction industries and growth markets, will retire at the end of the year and Gerard Vittecoq, 64, responsible for energy and power systems, will retire next May, the company said.
Ed Rapp, group president and chief financial officer, will become responsible for construction industries and growth markets.
The company also announced its board of directors appointed two new groups presidents to replace Lavin and Vittecoq.
Brad Halverson, 52, will replace Rapp as group president and chief financial officer. Jim Umpleby, 54, will replace Vittecoq as group president responsible for energy and power systems.
"We will be saying goodbye to fantastic leaders with these retirements, but we have a deep and talented group of Caterpillar executives," said Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman in a news release. "I am confident our new leaders will build on the work of their predecessors as we move toward our 2015 goals and beyond."
Oberhelman praised Lavin for "remarkable leadership and strategic vision for Caterpillar" and said he will leave "an indelible legacy behind for the work he has done to grow our operations and presence in key developing markets, particularly in Asia."
Rich LavinLavin joined Caterpillar in 1984 as an attorney in what is now the Law and Public Policy Division. He was appointed to Caterpillar's executive office in 2007 and moved to Hong Kong, where he was the first Caterpillar executive officer to reside and work in Asia. Lavin's work in this role has had a significant impact on enhancing the company's brand and reputation in this region.
Before becoming a group president, he was vice president of manufacturing operations for the Asia Pacific Division, serving as chairman of Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. —now Caterpillar Japan Ltd. — and chairman of Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd
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Gerard VittecoqRegarding Vittecoq, Oberhelman said, "Over the course of his more than 37 years with Caterpillar, Gerard has built a reputation for mentoring and developing leaders from his home base in Geneva, Switzerland. Gerard was instrumental in providing executive leadership as we focused on improving product quality and a culture of safety by driving the integration of the Caterpillar Production System around the world. More recently, his leadership and guidance has been critical, as Caterpillar has significantly expanded its energy and power systems business with the key acquisitions of Electro-Motive Diesel and gas engine manufacturing MWM Holding GmbH. These acquisitions have expanded Caterpillar's strategic businesses, and Gerard will be remembered for the leadership he provided as these businesses were added to Caterpillar."
Vittecoq joined Caterpillar in 1975, holding various accounting and finance positions as well as management positions before being appointed to the executive offices in 2003.
Ed RappRapp will assume his new role Jan. 1, 2013. As part of this transition, the Hong Kong-based headquarters office for Caterpillar's Construction Industries group will relocate to Singapore, where Rapp will be based, the company said.Bradley Halverson
Halverson, currently a Caterpillar vice president responsible for the Finance Services Division, has been with the company since 1988.
Halverson was named a vice president in 2010. He has had a variety of experiences of increasing responsibilities at Caterpillar. Including as a strategy and planning consultant with Caterpillar Overseas S.A. He went on to become controller in Europe, responsible for Caterpillar's financial reporting in EAME and returned to the United States in 1996 to manage general accounting and financial systems.
Halverson's replacement will be named in the near future. Halverson will assume his new role effective January 1, 2013.
Umpleby is currently vice president responsible for Solar Turbines, a wholly owner Caterpillar subsidiary for which he also serves asD. James Umpleby president. He was named to those positions in 2010.
Umpleby joined Solar Turbines in 1980 as an associate engineer. Caterpillar said that experience gives him "extensive knowledge and understanding of the global energy and power systems industry."
Umpleby was named a Caterpillar vice president and the president of Solar Turbines in 2010. During his career with Solar, he has worked around the world in positions with increasing responsibilities in engineering, manufacturing, sales and customer services.
