ATLANTA - Rheem Manufacturing Co. CEO JR Jones has announced the appointment of Christopher (Chris) Peel to the position of corporate senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately. He is filling the position that Jones held prior to his appointment to CEO last month.

Peel comes to Rheem with nearly 20 years of varied industry experience. He most recently held positions with Heatcraft Worldwide Refrigeration – Americas, a division of Lennox International.

In his new role, Peel will report directly to Jones. His primary responsibility will be for the growth of the Heating & Cooling and the Water Heating business units. He also will oversee research and development, manufacturing, marketing, strategic sourcing, and replacement parts.

“Chris is well-known throughout the industry as an innovative leader, based on his ability to develop effective strategies and deliver consistent results in terms of business growth and profitability,” said Jones. “His thorough understanding of multiple business functions will be critical, as we seek to grow our product portfolio and enhance our services, partnerships, and processes.”

Peel’s most recent position at Heatcraft was as vice president and general manager. Before that, he was vice president, marketing and product development. He also held a number of management positions with Carrier Corp., including director of product development, senior marketing manager, and customer business manager/engineering manager in the residential/light commercial and electronics business units.

Publication date: 04/14/2008