ATLANTA - Rheem Manufacturing Co. CEO, I. S. Farwell, has announced the appointment of JR Jones to succeed him as president and chief executive officer, effective March 31, 2008. Farwell also announced that he will assume the new role of special advisor to the company for the remainder of 2008.

Jones was named corporate senior vice president and chief operating officer in February 2007, responsible for the company’s heating, cooling, and water heating business units. Jones began his career with the Rheem Air Conditioning Division in 1983 as a project engineer. After serving as principal design and development engineer at the Trane Co., director product development and vice president R&D and product marketing at Heatcraft Refrigeration, and vice president and general manager Refrigeration Products Division at Lennox Industries, Jones returned to Rheem in 2002 as president of the Rheem Air Conditioning Division.

In making his announcement, Farwell said, “JR Jones has consistently demonstrated strong and solid leadership throughout his career at Rheem and within the industry. I am confident that JR will bring the leadership needed to accomplish both our business growth strategies and the vision of a unified company that exercises to its fullest advantage the many unique synergies available to Rheem to drive positive business results throughout the company.”

Farwell also announced the commencement of an executive search to replace Jones as corporate vice president and COO. Reporting to Jones will be Simon Parfitt, corporate vice president finance; William Ostan, corporate vice president human resources; Peter Gelfman, corporate vice president, secretary and general counsel; and the chief operating officer.

Publication date: 03/17/2008