Caterpillar Inc. has communicated today that Chris Schena, 62, has chosen to retire after more than 39 years of excellent service to the company. Schena has been a Caterpillar vice president since 2002 and is currently a vice president for Europe and South America operations.
“Since joining Caterpillar in Belgium in 1972, Chris has demonstrated outstanding business leadership skills with a proven record of delivering superior operational results while always maintaining a focus on developing people within his. organizations,” said Rich Lavin, Caterpillar Group President with responsibility for Construction Industries and Growth Markets. “During his distinguished career, Chris has provided leadership to Caterpillar business units and operations on three continents. He was a pioneer of lean manufacturing processes while leading Caterpillar’s operations in Brazil in the late 1990s and as a result, Caterpillar’s manufacturing operations in Brazil remain among the very best within the company,” Lavin added. Schena holds a B.A. in business administration and an M.B.A. from Universite de l’Etat a Mons in Belgium. He began his Caterpillar career in 1972, and held a number of cost and business analysis positions with increasing responsibility at Caterpillar’s operations in Belgium and USA. In 1992, he was named product source planning manager, Technical Services Division. In 1996, Schena was named General Manager for Caterpillar Brasil Ltda. In 2002, he became a Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the Component Products & Control Systems Division. Schena’s retirement will be effective July 1, 2012.
Mark Sweeney named Vice President
Caterpillar’s Board of Directors has appointed Mark Sweeney, 51, currently operations director for Caterpillar’s Electric Power Division, a Caterpillar vice president. Sweeney’s appointment is effective January 1, 2012, and he will replace Schena as vice president with responsibility for Europe and South America Operations. Schena and Sweeney will focus on the transition of responsibilities during the first half of 2012.
“Mark was managing FG Wilson’s Research and Development group when Caterpillar acquired the company in the mid 1990s, and we immediately recognized his technical expertise and leadership skills,” Lavin said. “With his engineering, marketing and operations background, and based on his outstanding leadership within FG Wilson and the Electric Power Division, Mark is an ideal fit for this new role,” Lavin added.
Prior to joining FG Wilson, Sweeney was a manager with Mercury Marine based in the United States. He joined FG Wilson in 1994 as the manager of Research and Development. He held a number of research and engineering leadership positions with increasing responsibility and in 2000 was named an FG Wilson vice president with responsibility for Product Development & FG Wilson Marketing Services. Sweeney has held his current position as operations director for Caterpillar’s Electric Power Division since 2006. In that role, Sweeney has operations responsibility for facilities in Europe, Asia, South America and the United States. In addition, Sweeney was a member of the company’s Strategic Planning Committee that was responsible for developing the current enterprise strategy. Sweeney holds a B.S. and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Queens University in Belfast. He also participated in the Darden Executive Development Program at the University of Virginia in 2004.
New Responsibilities for Steve Fisher Steve Fisher, 56, currently Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for the integration of Caterpillar and Bucyrus, has been named to replace Gary Stroup as vice president with responsibility for the Large Power Systems and Growth Markets Division.
Stroup’s retirement was previously announced, and Fisher will assume his new duties effective January 1, 2012.
“Steve has demonstrated outstanding foresight, energy and effectiveness in successfully leading the Bucyrus integration, which is by far, Caterpillar’s largest acquisition to date,” said Gerard Vittecoq, Caterpillar Group President with responsibility for Energy and Power Systems. “Along with his proven track record for growing Caterpillar’s Remanufacturing business, where he previously served as a vice president, I am sure Steve will bring a great deal of energy and innovation to the Large Power Systems and Growth Markets Division,” Vittecoq added.
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. He completed the Duke University Advanced Management Program in 1999.
