Dr. Bob Heideman was named senior vice president
& chief technology officer at A. O. Smith in December 2010. He had served
as vice president of the Milwaukee-based research and engineering facility
since February 2008. The Corporate Technology Center consists of technology
platforms that concentrate on advanced concepts and emerging technologies
supporting the long-term product development strategies of the company’s
electric motor and water heating operating units.
Bob joined the company in 1994
as a project engineer at the Corporate Technology Center. In that role, he
worked on a wide range of projects for a number of the company’s operating
units. After two years with Tower Automotive, he returned to A. O. Smith in 2002
as a section manager, responsible for the Metallurgy and Prototyping Group. In
2005, he was promoted to director-materials and processes at the Corporate
Technology Center.
Bob holds a PhD in materials
engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned his BS in
metallurgical engineering. He also has an MS in metallurgical engineering from
Purdue University.