Global Fastener News

Textron Names E-Commerce Vice President

John Wolz

Textron Inc. promoted Kenneth Bohlen to executive vice president in charge of e-commerce and Ed Arditte vice president of e-procurement..
Bohlen joined Textron from AlliedSignal (now Honeywell) last November as senior vice president and chief information officer.
With the promotion Bohlen becomes the seventh member of Textron�s management committee.
His title also changed from “chief information officer” to “chief innovation officer.”
“We�ve changed the �I� in Ken�s CIO title to �innovation� to underscore the importance of changing our perception of e-business � from one that focuses on technology to one that focuses on fundamentally redefining our business model,” Textron CEO Lewis Campbell explained.
Earlier this year Textron announced a $100 million investment in Safeguard Scientifics, an Internet holding and operating company with 250 Web-related companies.
Bohlen directed an e-business council consisting of 30 Textron executives who spent five weeks off-site to identify and develop e-business opportunities.
Providence, RI-based Textron is an $11.6 billion global multi-industry company in aircraft, automotive, industrial and finance businesses. Textron has 68,000 employees and manufacturing facilities in 30 countries.
Textron Fastening Systems, which recently moved its headquarters to Troy, MI, has $2.2 billion in annual revenue and 16,000 employees.