Eaton Corp. Names Butler Chief Executive
Eaton Corp. President William E. Butler was named chief executive officer, launching top management changes designed to spur productivity and thin bureaucracy at the Cleveland automotive supplier.</br></br>Mr. Butler, 60 years old, succeeds James R. Stover, who will remain chairman until he retires at year end at age 65, Eaton's standard retirement age. As part of the change, Eaton said it would abolish its three operating groups -- truck parts, automotive parts and electronic controls -- and replace them with six smaller groups reporting to an executive vice president in charge of operations, Alexander M. Cutler, 40.</br></br>Mr. Cutler, the former head of the controls group, reports to a new president and chief operating officer, John S. Rodewig. Mr. Rodewig, 57, formerly head of Eaton's European operations, was named head of the truck parts group in January.</br></br>Messrs. Butler, Rodewig and Cutler will serve on a senior management council along with Stephen R. Hardis, 56, chief financial officer, and Gerald L. Gherlein, 53, executive vice president and general counsel.</br></br>Most heads of the six individual groups will remain outside Eaton's Cleveland headquarters but will have broader responsibility. "We're trying to bring these business units closer to senior management and shorten the decision-making process," Mr. Butler said.