Milwaukee, Wis.—A. O. Smith Corporation (NYSE:AOS) today announced
that Kevin J. Wheeler has been named president and chief operating officer.
In his new
role, Wheeler will be responsible for A. O. Smith’s global water heater and
boiler operations as well as its global water treatment business. He also will oversee the company’s research
function including its Corporate Technology Center in Milwaukee as well as the
information technology function. Wheeler
will report to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ajita G. Rajendra.
The $2.69
billion company has 20 manufacturing plants and 10 product engineering
facilities around the world and employs approximately 15,500 people.
Since 2013,
Wheeler has served as senior vice president, president and general manager of
North America, India, and Europe water heating, A. O. Smith’s largest operating
unit.
“With his
extensive experience, in-depth knowledge of our businesses, and passionate
interest in customer satisfaction, Kevin Wheeler is the ideal person to take on
this challenging new assignment,” Rajendra said in making the
announcement. “Under his leadership, our
North American water heater business has achieved record sales and
profitability.
“Kevin also
brings extensive international experience and has been instrumental in growing
that part of our business, first as managing director of our European
operations, then leading our China business, and subsequently, the entry into
the Indian market.”
“I am
confident he will continue to be a major contributor as A. O. Smith pursues its
strategy of becoming a leading global water technology company.”
Wheeler
brings 23 years of company experience to his new position. He joined A. O. Smith in 1994 as a regional
sales manager for the former Water Products Company. In 1999, he was named managing director of A.
O. Smith Water Products Company B.V., headquartered in Veldhoven, the
Netherlands. In that role, he was
responsible for the company’s water heater business in Europe and the Middle East.
Wheeler
returned to the U.S. in 2004 to serve as vice president-international with
responsibility for all European and Asian operations. During this time, the company expanded its
business in China and began evaluation of the Indian residential water heater
market.
In 2007, he
was named senior vice president and general manager of the U.S. retail business
for the Water Products Company. In that
position, he oversaw all aspects of the U.S. retail business including sales,
marketing, manufacturing, product engineering, and customer service.
Wheeler was
named senior vice president and general manager of the North America, India,
and Europe water heating business in 2011 and became president of that business
in 2013.
He has been
active in a number of industry associations, most recently serving as an
at-large director of the Air-conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
(AHRI).
Wheeler is a
graduate of the University of Nevada-Reno and the Advanced Management Program
at Harvard University.