Whirlpool Corporation's Mike Thieneman to Retire

Whirlpool Corporation announced on June 5th the retirement of executive vice president and chief technology officer Mike Thieneman, effective June 30th, 2008. The company plans to name a successor at a later date.

During his more than 31 years with the company, Thieneman has held leadership roles in many areas of the organisation. ‘Mike has been a great contributor to Whirlpool,’ said Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation chairman and CEO. ‘His most recent contribution has been to instil effective and disciplined product development processes globally to ensure great quality and innovation for our consumers. This important work will benefit our company for years to come. On behalf of everyone at Whirlpool Corporation, I wish Mike and his family every happiness in the next phase of their lives.’

Thieneman was named executive vice president and chief technology officer in June 2000. He joined the company in 1977 as a project engineer. He held a variety of leadership positions, including president and chief executive officer of Inglis Limited (now known as Whirlpool Canada); president of Whirlpool Compressor Operations in Riva di Chieri, Italy; and, corporate vice president, Global Procurement Operations. In October 1997, he was named executive vice president, North American Region.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Thieneman earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Bellarmine College and a master's degree and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Kentucky. He also earned a master's of business administration degree from the University of Evansville.