Former General Instrument Corp. executive Ed Breen is changing his title
again.
The former GI chairman and CEO was tapped to succeed Robert Growney as
president and chief operating officer at Motorola Inc.
Growney -- who had previously announced his plans to retire when he turns 60
in 2002 -- will stay on as president and COO until Dec. 31. Then he will take
over as vice chairman until he retires March 31.
Breen had served as executive vice president and president of the company's
network sector since Motorola and GI merged in January 2000. He has headed up
the integration of the two companies' broadband and network-equipment
operations.
The networks sector -- which includes the broadband-communications,
global-telecommunications-solutions and commercial-, government- and
industrial-solutions sectors -- has been among the stronger divisions for
Motorola during the 2001 economic downturn.
While it saw a sales slip in the second quarter, the drop was not as steep
compared with the personal-communications, integrated-electronics or
semiconductor divisions.
'One of Motorola's strengths is in its practice of planning and implementing
succession at the most senior level of the corporation,' Motorola chairman
Christopher Galvin said in a press release.
While saying goodbye to Growney, he added, 'I also look forward to deepening
my partnership with Ed Breen in the office of the chairman and continuing to
build a strong senior leadership team as we grow our businesses to be best in
class in all industries in which we choose to compete.'
Breen will continue as president of the networks sector until he assumes the
president and COO job Jan. 1. The company has not yet named his
successor.
