FLIR Systems named James Cannon as president and CEO, succeeding Andy Teich, who said in February that he would retire after 33 years with the company.
Cannon previously served for more than 16 years in a variety of senior leadership positions at Stanley Black & Decker Inc., most recently as president of Stanley Security North America and Emerging Markets.
Prior to that he was president of the company’s industrial and automotive repair unit, first in North America and subsequently in Europe and Latin America, before becoming president of Stanley Oil & Gas.
Cannon served in the Army for 10 years as an infantryman and armor officer in a wide variety of assignments around the world, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq, where he learned to appreciate FLIR’s technology and was awarded a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
He later oversaw security missions as part of the Army’s peace enforcement operations in Bosnia.
“We are delighted to appoint a chief executive of Jim’s caliber,” FLIR board of directors chairman Earl R. Lewis said in a statement. “Jim’s proven track record of achieving strong results in both business and the military make him uniquely well qualified to serve as FLIR’s next CEO.”
“The opportunity to join this outstanding leadership team and serve alongside over 3,000 talented FLIR employees worldwide as the company’s next CEO is a great honor,” Cannon said. “The FLIR brand is synonymous with continuous innovation and delivering value to customers around the world. From my own personal experience having relied on FLIR technology as a combat veteran, I’ve seen firsthand the powerful, life-saving impact the company’s portfolio of solutions can have for our customers.
“Andy and the FLIR team have done a great job building out FLIR’s technology and business, and I’m excited to build on that success and drive further growth for the benefit of FLIR’s employees, customers and shareholders,” he said.
