Textron Names Edward Orzetti Vice President of Enterprise-Wide Initiatives; Supply Chain Management a Top Priority

23 October 2000

Textron Names Edward Orzetti Vice President of Enterprise-Wide Initiatives; Supply Chain Management a Top Priority

    PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Oct. 23, 2000--Sharpening its focus on leveraging efficiencies company-wide, Textron Inc today named Edward H. Orzetti to the newly-created position of vice president, enterprise-wide initiatives, effective October 30. He will report to President and Chief Operating Officer John A. Janitz.
    Orzetti joins Textron from General Electric, where he was most recently general manager, supply chain management for GE Supply. Initially he will focus on driving supply chain improvements to create company-wide efficiencies throughout Textron. Orzetti will oversee all aspects of supply chain management such as logistics, transportation, distribution, and inventory management, as well as the continuing move to e-procurement. Going forward, his role will expand to include other key company-wide initiatives throughout Textron.
    In this critical role, Orzetti will become a member of Textron's Executive Leadership Team, a fourteen member body of the company's senior corporate executives and operating segment leaders responsible for Textron's overall strategic management.
    "Textron's size and scope offer tremendous opportunities for company-wide supply chain management synergies, which will ultimately bring significant cost savings," said Textron Chairman and CEO Lewis B. Campbell.
    "By applying his global experience in supply chain management, operations and strategic planning, Ed will play a critical role in helping Textron realize the power of its enterprise," said Janitz. "We're thrilled to have him join our team," he added.
    Orzetti spent the last five years in various positions at General Electric. In addition to his supply chain management position, Orzetti had directed GE's central European sourcing operations in the Czech Republic, where his group helped GE Aircraft Engines and GE Transportation Systems realize significant savings. Prior to GE, Orzetti worked for Booz-Allen & Hamilton as a senior associate in their operations management group and for Johnson & Johnson as a manufacturing supervisor. He also served for several years as an officer and helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army.
    Orzetti holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also holds an MS in Administration, Human Resource Management from Central Michigan University and an MS in Management, Operations, Strategy from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    Textron Inc. is an $11.6 billion, global multi-industry company with market-leading businesses in Aircraft, Automotive, Industrial and Finance. Textron has a workforce of over 68,000 employees and major manufacturing facilities in 30 countries. Textron is among Fortune magazine's "Global Most Admired Companies" and Industry Week magazine's "Best Managed Companies." Additional information is available on www.textron.com.