Rockwell Collins Chairman and CEO Clay Jones will retire July 31, the company said in a statement Friday. Jones is expected to be succeeded by current Rockwell Collins President Kelly Ortberg.
Jones first joined Rockwell International in 1979, after serving in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot. In 2001 he became Rockwell Collins CEO after leading the company through its initial public offering. During his career he doubled annual revenue from $2.5 billion to $5 billion and increased shareholder value by more than 200 percent.
“This decision was made as part of a carefully orchestrated succession planning process that has been implemented over the past several years,” Jones said.
“Our focus on developing talent has ensured Kelly is well-prepared to assume this new responsibility.”
Ortberg first joined the company in 1987, eventually becoming executive vice president and chief operating officer of Government Systems, prior to being appointed company president in September 2012. He is known for getting the company’s avionics contracts on the Boeing KC-10, KC-46A and Embraer KC-390.