Steve Fisher, Steve Larson and Bill Rohner have elected to retire, and the Board of Directors of the company has appointed four new vice presidents who will have some changes in responsibility to align with the company’s goals.
Steve Fisher Retirement
After more than 35 years with Caterpillar, Steve Fisher, vice president of the Large Power Systems & Growth Markets Division, has elected to retire. Fisher’s retirement will be effective February 1, 2014. Fisher joined Caterpillar in 1978 as an accounting trainee. He held numerous accounting and cost management positions, serving as a business resource manager and cost and business analysis services manager. He was instrumental in mergers and acquisitions activity and in the development of the company’s internal strategic consulting business while in corporate accounting. He joined the remanufacturing products group as general manager in 2001. Fisher became a Caterpillar vice president in 2006. Fisher has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bradley University and is a certified public accountant.
Steve Larson Retirement
After more than 34 years with Caterpillar, Steve Larson, vice president of the Parts Distribution & Diversified Products Division, has elected to retire. Larson’s retirement will be effective Feb. 1, 2014. Larson joined Caterpillar in 1979 and held a series of positions with growing responsibilities in the areas of accounting, finance and marketing. In 1995 he was named a product/marketing manager in North America Commercial Division, and later held positions as a district manager, product manager for large track-type tractors and regional manager. In 2003, he moved toSingapore to become a vice president of Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation. In 2007, the Caterpillar Board of Directors appointed Larson a vice president with responsibility for the Logistics Division. Larson holds a bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA from Western Illinois University.
Bill Rohner Retirement
After more than 41 years with Caterpillar, Bill Rohner, vice president of the Electric Power Division, has elected to retire. Rohner’s retirement will be effective February 1, 2014. Rohner began his Caterpillar career in 1972 and held a number of manufacturing, accounting, business analysis and technical services positions with increasing levels of responsibility. In 1995, he became operations manager for the remanufacturing facility in Corinth, Miss. He moved to Japan in 1996 as managing director of Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi, Ltd., returning to the United States in 1998 for leadership positions in the Track-Type Tractors Division and Transmission Business Unit. In 2000, he became managing director of Caterpillar Brasil Ltd., and in 2004, he was appointed vice president of the Electric Power Division. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Iowa State University and an executive MBA from the University of Illinois.
New Responsibilities for Vice Presidents
Tana Utley
Tana Utley, currently vice president of the Industrial Power Systems & Growth Markets Division, will replace Steve Fisher as vice president, Large Power Systems & Growth Markets Division. Utley’s move to the new position is effective Oct. 1, 2013. In conjunction with this leadership change, Caterpillar is also announcing a realignment of parts of its reciprocating engine business to better align engine products with global customer requirements. As a result, the Large Power Systems & Growth Markets led by Utley will be accountable for all Caterpillar and Perkins brand engines above 18 liters.
Steve Gosselin
Concurrent with the announcement of Steve Larson’s retirement, Caterpillar is announcing a strategic realignment of the Parts Distribution & Diversified Products Division and the Customer Services Support Division. As part of this realignment, Caterpillar’s Parts Distribution business will be integrated into the Customer Services Support Division, which is led by Vice President Steve Gosselin. The Customer Services Support Division is focused on aggressively growing Caterpillar’s parts and product support. The division develops and supports deployment of parts and service products, processes and programs for our dealers, enabling them to deliver unmatched product support. Including Caterpillar Parts Distribution this division will form a single global parts organization that will allow a seamless Caterpillar focus on supporting customer requirements for product support.
Bill Finerty
Bill Finerty, currently vice president of Americas Distribution Services Division, will assume responsibilities for the newly realigned Diversified Products Division, which includes Caterpillar’s global paving products, forestry products, defense and federal products, OEM Solutions group, Cat Tunneling, and the industrial and waste group. In addition, Caterpillar’s on-highway truck group will move from the Customer Services Support Division to become part of the Diversified Products Division. The changes for the Diversified Products Division and the Customer Services Support Division will be effective Oct. 1, 2013.
Ramin Younessi Appointed Vice President of Industrial Power Systems & Growth Markets Division
Following the announcement that Tana Utley will replace the retiring Steve Fisher as vice president of Caterpillar’s Large Power Systems & Growth Markets Division, Caterpillar’s Board of Directors has appointed Ramin Younessi to replace Utley as vice president with responsibility for the Industrial Power Systems & Growth Markets Division.
In conjunction with this leadership change, Caterpillar is also announcing a realignment of parts of its reciprocating engine business to better align engine products with global customer requirements. As a result, the Industrial Power Systems & Growth Markets Division to be led by Younessi will be accountable for all Caterpillar and Perkins brand engines 18 liters and below. Consistent with this change, several facilities that have been part of Caterpillar’s Large Power Systems & Growth Markets Division will move to become part of the Industrial Power Systems & Growth Markets Division.
Pablo Koziner Appointed Vice President of Americas Distribution Services Division
Following the announcement that Bill Finerty will assume responsibilities for the newly realigned Diversified Products Division, Caterpillar’s Board of Directors has appointed Pablo Koziner, currently east region manager in the Americas Distribution Services Division, as vice president of the Americas Distribution Services Division.
Steve Niehaus Appointed Vice President of Electric Power Division
Following the announcement of Bill Rohner’s retirement, Caterpillar’s Board of Directors has appointed Steve Niehaus to replace Rohner as vice president with responsibility for the Electric Power Division. Niehaus is currently the retail general manager for the Electric Power Division.
Mike DeWalt Appointed Vice President of Strategic Services Division
To improve the strategic planning process across the company, Caterpillar’s Board of Directors has appointed Mike DeWalt, currently corporate controller, as vice president of the newly created Strategic Services Division. The Strategic Services Division includes strategic planning, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), investor relations, economics, business risk management and competitive analysis. The Strategic Services Division will lead the strategic planning process – from underlying economics to development of corporate strategy with Caterpillar’s Executive Office, to linking the company’s strategy to Caterpillar’s business units, through the implementation of growth strategies that involve M&A, and communication of strategy and execution to Caterpillar’s shareholders.
