MILWAUKEE, WI — A. O. Smith Corporation (NYSE:AOS) today announced the appointment of David R. Warren as president and general manager of its North America, India, Europe, and Export (NAIEE) water heater operations.
In this role, Warren will have profit and loss responsibility for the 10 brands that make up the operation. He will oversee the unit’s 4,500 employees at facilities in the U.S., Canada, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the UK.
“Dave brings extensive domestic and international experience to his new position,” President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin J. Wheeler said in making the announcement. “He has worked in a wide variety of functions and is very familiar with our customers and our global water heater markets.”
“With Dave Warren and Kevin Wheeler, A. O. Smith has two executives with in-depth knowledge of the global water heater business,” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ajita G. Rajendra observed. “Both of them have been instrumental in helping develop our global water heater strategy and under their leadership, this business has enjoyed solid growth over the last several years.”
Warren has served as vice president of the India, Europe, and export businesses, overseeing the company’s international water heater operations in Europe, and water heater and water treatment operations in Turkey and India. He also was responsible for the company’s export water heater activities.
Warren joined A. O. Smith in 1989 as a wholesale sales coordinator and was promoted to district manager of the South Texas District. In 1999, he was named a regional sales manager for the South Central Region. In 2002, he became director of Reliance retail water heater sales.
In 2004, Warren was named managing director of the company’s Veldhoven operation with responsibility for the European and Middle Eastern markets and export water heater sales.
Warren is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in sales and marketing and has taken courses in international business from Franklin University-Switzerland in Lugano, Switzerland.