New President and CEO for Harris Corporation

0

Electronics giant Harris Corporation has hired William A. Brown as its new President and CEO, effective November 1st. Brown comes to Harris from United Technologies Corp., where he was Sr. VP, Corporate Strategy and Development.


Brown, who will also be joining the board of directors, succeeds Howard L. Lance, who has served as CEO since January 2003.  Lance announced in May 2011 his intention to retire when a successor was named. Lance, will continue to serve as chairman, president and CEO through October 31, 2011, and will then serve as non-executive chairman of the board until December 31, 2011. 
 
On January 1, 2012, Thomas A. Dattilo, former chairman, president and CEO of Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, and a member of the Harris Board of Directors since 2001, will become non-executive chairman of the Board.  Dattilo is expected to serve in this role for up to two years.

The board said it expects to name Brown to the combined chairman and CEO role at a later date. 

“Bill brings to Harris a unique combination of skills and experience that make him the ideal person to lead our company. At UTC, which like Harris, develops and manufactures high-technology products for commercial and government markets, he established a strong track record of driving growth in large, global businesses and building teams that thrive and grow even in difficult competitive environments,” said Lewis Hay III, lead independent director of the board at Harris.

Best known to RBR-TVBR readers as a major manufacturer of broadcasting equipment, Harris is a major RF equipment maker for both the private sector and government organizations. It is also a provider of integrated network solutions for a variety of public and private applications.