FuelCell Energy Inc. promoted Arthur “Chip” Bottone to president and chief executive officer, barely a year after he joined the Danbury alternative energy system maker.
Bottone succeeds Daniel Brdar, who remains chairman at least through FuelCell’s 2011 annual meeting.
An engineer, Bottone joined the company in February 2010 as senior vice president after serving as an officer at industrial concern Ingersoll-Rand Co.
Since arriving, he has played a key role in devising and implementing FuelCell’s strategy for broadening the commercialization of its key product — technology that cleanly and efficiently converts various fuels to electricity.
His promotion, Brdar said, reflects his achievements and the board’s confidence that Bottone is the right person to assume leadership.
“Chip’s focus and experience in growing revenue and expanding our customer base is integral to our success,” Brdar said in a statement. “Through his efforts, we enter 2011 with the largest product and service revenue backlog in our history at $154 million.”
Bottone earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and completed professional development at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
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