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GE’s Bilas Succeeded By McDermott

LOUISVILLE, KY. —

Michael McDermott has been
tapped to succeed GE Appliances veteran
Dave Bilas as head of the company’s sales
organization.

Bilas served as sales VP since 2007 and
had been “instrumental in helping GE reposition
in response to the housing collapse and
economic downturn,” the manufacturer said.
He is leaving to pursue opportunities outside
the company.

In a statement, Jim Campbell, president/
CEO of GE Appliances & Lighting, thanked
Bilas for his many contributions and service
to the company. “Dave has been a great GE
ambassador and has assembled an outstanding team
that will help GE continue to win with customers,” he
said.

McDermott, who reports directly to Campbell, had
led the company’s cooking business since 2009. He
joined GE in 1993 as an area sales manager for retail
sales, and held a variety of posts of increasing
responsibility including cooking products marketing
manager, merchandising general manager, and sales
general manager for the contract channel.

“Mike’s breadth of experience across the commercial
operation has made him well equipped to understand
our customers’ needs from a variety of angles,”
Campbell said. “That, coupled with his
demonstrated leadership skills and strong
process orientation, makes him a great fit
for this role and the ideal person to build
upon the outstanding relationships built
under Dave’s leadership.”

McDermott was succeeded as product
general manger for cooking by Melanie
Cook, a 15-year GE veteran who joins
the appliances division from GE Industrial
Communications, a unit of GE Digital
Energy. A former president and general
manager of Azdel, a joint venture between
PPG Industries and GE, Cook also served at GE
Plastics and on the company’s corporate audit staff.

“Melanie’s experience leading and growing businesses
in GE, along with her proven ability to execute,
make her ideal for this role,” said Campbell.
“Her skills and experience will be invaluable as we
continue to innovate and grow our cooking line with
the launch of more than 100 new cooking products in
2011 and the kickoff of our new product investment
programs for wall ovens and freestanding ranges.”

Both appointments are effective immediately.

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