Chris Curtis named President and CEO of Schneider Electric’s North American Operating Division

Rueil-Malmaison (France), May 2008 – Schneider Electric has announced that effective immediately, Chris Curtis will assume the position of President and CEO of Schneider Electric’s North American Operating Division.

Chris Curtis joined Schneider Electric in 1993. In 2006, he was named President Schneider Electric U.S., leading the company’s U.S. business to strong improvements of growth and profitability. He has held operating management positions in the US and Canada, as Vice President in Sales, Marketing and General Management.

Curtis holds a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne University in Syracuse, New York.

“I am extremely confident that under his leadership, our business in North America will continue to grow and gain efficiency, both in our commercial and industrial operations,” said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, President and CEO, Schneider Electric. “His dedication to continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, quality and innovative solutions for our market segments will further strengthen our position with our customers in North America.”

Curtis replaces Dave Petratis, who will become CEO of Quanex. Based in Houston, Texas, Quanex is a manufacturer of engineered materials and components for the U.S. building products market.

About Chris Curtis within Schneider Electric
As President of Schneider Electric U.S., Chris Curtis has led the company’s U.S. business to strong improvements in growth and profitability. He joined the company in 1993 as Director, Industrial Marketing, responsible for planning and managing U.S. industrial marketing programs, including strategic accounts. In 1995, he was promoted to Vice President, Mid-Atlantic Sales, and in 1996, became Director, OEM Marketing, with responsibility for developing and implementing the U.S. business strategy for all products and services sold to OEMs.

In 1998, Curtis was named Vice President, Marketing, for the Division with responsibility for the residential construction, commercial and industrial construction market segments, OEMs and strategic accounts. In 2002, Curtis was named President of Schneider Electric Canada. In 2003, he was promoted to Vice President, U.S. Sales and Services, and returned to the United States, and in 2004, took on additional responsibility of leading the company’s U.S. electrical distribution and its subsidiaries EFI, Veris and PowerBox. Curtis was then named President, Schneider Electric U.S., in 2006.