At COO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United States based COO’ operating in the Lighting space. If you think a COO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected].
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Sean J. Kerins
Chief Operating Officer of Arrow Electronics
Sean Kerins serves as president of Arrow’s global enterprise computing solutions business providing data-center solutions, services and support to solution providers and their customers. Kerins brings more than 25 years of corporate, international management and sales experience. Kerins most recently served as president of the North American region for Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business. He joined Arrow in 2007 as vice president of North American storage and networking for the enterprise computing solutions segment. Prior, Kerins spent 10 years at EMC, serving as vice president of the North American client solution leads practice in addition to a variety of other key sales operations, marketing and professional services roles around the world. Also, Kerins held progressively senior roles with Coopers & Lybrand Consulting, and he served as an industrial engineer with General Motors. Kerins holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Syracuse University and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
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About Arrow Electronics: Arrow Electronics designs, manufactures and distributes electronic components for industrial and commercial sectors.
Ajay Marathe
Chief Operating Officer of Philips Lumileds
Ajay Marathe is Chief Operating Officer, LED. Prior to his current position, Mr. Marathe served as Senior Vice-President of Operations at Philips Lumileds – a business group of Royal Philips he joined in October 2011. He brings extensive operations executive expertise encompassing both the semiconductor and solar industries of over 30 years. Mr. Marathe started his career at AMD in Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operations leadership positions, providing him with a strong foundation for his later roles including Corporate Vice-President of Operations for the Computation Products Group and President of AMD India. As President of AMD India, Mr. Marathe was responsible for growing AMD’s India business, expanding it from zero to 25% market share in two short years. Mr. Marathe has also provided leadership to the Semiconductor Group of Reliance Industries as CEO. He also served as Senior Vice-President of Operations at Solaria, the solar module manufacturer. Mr. Marathe holds a MS in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Texas Tech University where he was felicitated as one of their “Distinguished Engineers” in year 2006.
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About Philips Lumileds: Lumileds Lighting was formed in November 1999 as a joint venture between Philips Lighting and Agilent Technologies.
Julie Cymbalak
Chief Operating Officer of Electronic Theatre Controls
Julie Cymbalak earned a bachelor of science from BJU in 1987. In June 1991, she joined ETC, working as an accounting assistant and taking on the accounts payable and personnel functions of the company. In 1993, ETC was growing quickly, and the need to separate Accounting from the Personnel department became apparent. Julie became the Personnel manager and built the HR department from the ground up to include recruiting, orientation, payroll, benefits, performance management, and health and safety. She also wrote the ETC Employee Manual and associated policies, procedures, and forms, as well as the ETC Manager Handbook and training programs. When ETC restructured the company in 1997, in her role as HR director, Cymbalak took on other duties outside of the HR department. In 1998, she was promoted to the position of vice president of HR to oversee global HR functions, including ETC’s international offices. Over the next few years, her role expanded to include the Administrative Services, IT, Legal and Facilities departments, building and PIT projects, and international management training. In 2015, she moved into a newly-created position of chief operating officer, which allowed her to have a greater focus on business operations, organization, and employee resources. As COO, she is responsible for operations management and identifying new areas of employee services, resources and benefits. Cymbalak has a staff of managers who support all aspects of global employee services and the general managers at each international ETC office.
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About Electronic Theatre Controls: Electronic Theatre Controls is an manufacture of lighting and rigging technology.
Julie Cymbalak
Chief Operating Officer of Electronic Theatre Controls
Julie Cymbalak earned a bachelor of science from BJU in 1987. In June 1991, she joined ETC, working as an accounting assistant and taking on the accounts payable and personnel functions of the company. In 1993, ETC was growing quickly, and the need to separate Accounting from the Personnel department became apparent. Julie became the Personnel manager and built the HR department from the ground up to include recruiting, orientation, payroll, benefits, performance management, and health and safety. She also wrote the ETC Employee Manual and associated policies, procedures, and forms, as well as the ETC Manager Handbook and training programs. When ETC restructured the company in 1997, in her role as HR director, Cymbalak took on other duties outside of the HR department. In 1998, she was promoted to the position of vice president of HR to oversee global HR functions, including ETC’s international offices. Over the next few years, her role expanded to include the Administrative Services, IT, Legal and Facilities departments, building and PIT projects, and international management training. In 2015, she moved into a newly-created position of chief operating officer, which allowed her to have a greater focus on business operations, organization, and employee resources. As COO, she is responsible for operations management and identifying new areas of employee services, resources and benefits. Cymbalak has a staff of managers who support all aspects of global employee services and the general managers at each international ETC office.
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About Electronic Theatre Controls: Electronic Theatre Controls is an manufacture of lighting and rigging technology.
Edward Monser
President & COO of Emerson
Monser is currently President and Chief Operating Officer of Emerson Electric Co., a global industrial controls products company. Monser has more than 30 years of experience in senior operational positions at Emerson and has played key roles in globalizing the company, having held increasingly senior positions at the company, including chief operating officer (2001-2010), president of its Rosemount Inc. subsidiary (1996-2001), and various operations, new product development, engineering and technology positions. He is a member of the Economic Development Board for China’s Guangdong Province and a past board member and past Vice Chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University. As the chief operating officer of a premier industrial organization, Monser has a solid understanding of industrial operations, supply chain optimization, and continuous improvement; extensive experience in international business operations, particularly in emerging markets; and demonstrated capability in strategic planning and organizational development.
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About Emerson: Emerson is a global technology & engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial and residential markets.
Chris Drumgoole
COO Global Operations CoreTech ,Corporate of GE Consumer & Industrial
Chris Drumgoole is GE’s Chief Operating Officer – IT, responsible for leading the Company’s IT infrastructure teams and ensuring the successful operation of the IT systems supporting GE’s business units globally. Chris also leads GE’s cloud strategy, driving the Company’s digital transformation through provider and application transition to the cloud. Chris joined GE from Verizon Terremark, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Operations. He has over 15 years of technology and financial services experience, including design and architecture for large retail trading platforms, high-traffic consumer Web properties, and computing/storage grids, having held leadership and technologist positions with the Toronto Dominion Bank, IBM, MasterCard International, Cable & Wireless, and Exodus/Savvis. Chris studied Information Systems at Pace University in New York.
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About GE Consumer & Industrial: GE Consumer & Industrial manufactures and sells home appliances and lighting products in the United States and Canada.
Walt Whitsitt
Chief Operating Officer of Old Cove Integrators L.L.C
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About Old Cove Integrators L.L.C: Old Cove Integrators develops professional automation systems for residential and commercial projects.