William M. Brown (businessman)
{{Short description|American businessman}}
William M. "Bill" Brown is an American business executive. He became the CEO of 3M on May 1, 2024.{{cite web |title=FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/66740/000006674024000029/mmm-20240308.htm |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |access-date=April 2, 2024 |date=March 12, 2024 |quote=On March 8, 2024, the Board of Directors of 3M Company (the “Company”) appointed William M. Brown chief executive officer, effective May 1, 2024, succeeding Michael F. Roman.}} Mr. Brown is also the former chairman of L3Harris Technologies, a large defense contracting company.{{cite report |url= https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/202058/000020205822000044/hrs-20220630.htm |title= FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |date= June 30, 2022 |access-date= June 30, 2022 |page= 1 |quote= Consistent with the Merger Agreement and Mr. Brown’s and Mr. Kubasik’s respective employment arrangements, on June 29, 2022, (a) Mr. Brown ceased being Chair of L3Harris and retired from L3Harris; (b) and Mr. Kubasik, age 61, succeeded him as Chair of L3Harris, becoming Chair and Chief Executive Officer of L3Harris, and ceased being Vice Chair of L3Harris.}} Previously, he was the president, CEO and chairman of Harris Corporation,
{{cite web
| url =https://www.spacecoastbusiness.com/a-man-for-the-time-and-a-time-for-the-man/
| title = A Man for the Time and A Time for the Man
| date = 2019
| website =Space Coast Business
| access-date= December 17, 2019}}
{{cite news
| last = Garcia
| first =Jason
| title = Harris Corp. Plays to Its Strengths
| newspaper = Florida Trend
| date =August 28, 2018
| url =https://www.floridatrend.com/print/article/25275
| access-date =December 17, 2019}}
{{cite news
| last = Price
| first = Wayne T.
| title = Harris CEO Bill Brown meets with Trump
| newspaper = Florida Today
| date =February 23, 2017
| url = https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/23/harris-ceo-bill-brown-meets-trump/98310300/
| access-date =December 17, 2019}} the company that merged with L3 Technologies to create L3Harris Technologies in 2019.
{{cite web
| url = https://www.aia-aerospace.org/personnel/william-m-brown/
| title = William M. Brown biography
| date = 2019
| website =Aerospace Industries Association
| access-date =December 17, 2019}}
{{cite web
| url =https://www.harris.com/person/board-of-directors-ceo/william-brown
| title =CEO / Board of Directors
| date = 2019
| website =L3 Harris
| access-date =December 17, 2019}}
{{cite news
| last1 =Renshaw
| first1 =Jarret
| last2 = Brumpton
| first2 =Harry
| title = Harris and L3 agree merger to become sixth-largest U.S. defense contracto
| newspaper = Reuters
| date =October 14, 2018
| url =https://www.reuters.com/article/us-m-a-defense-harris-l3/harris-and-l3-agree-merger-to-become-sixth-largest-u-s-defense-contractor-idUSKCN1MO0PV
| access-date =December 17, 2019}}
Mr. Brown's tenure at L3Harris was controversial within the company, and he developed a deeply unfavorable reputation as someone who achieved stock price gains at the expense of his employees.{{cite web |url=https://247wallst.com/special-report/2016/09/07/most-hated-ceos/ | title=America's Most Hated CEOs | date=January 13, 2020 | website=24/7 Wall St | access-date=October 22, 2024}}
Education
Brown earned a bachelor's degree in 1984, and a master's in 1987, both in mechanical engineering from Villanova University.
{{cite web
| url =https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/engineering/alumnisociety/meetgrads.html
| title =Notable College of Engineering Alumni
| date =2019
| website = Villanova University
| publisher =
| access-date=December 17, 2019}} He received an MBA from the Wharton Business School.
{{cite web |date=2019 |title=Bill Brown Chairman and CEO, L3harris Technologies Inc |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/15003723 |access-date=December 17, 2019 |website=Bloomberg |publisher=}}
Career
Prior to joining Harris Corporation in 2011, he was senior vice president leading strategy and development for United Technologies Corporation. Before this, he was president of UTC's Fire & Security business. During his 14 years at UTC he acquired executive managerial experience in the US and in other countries.
{{cite web
| url =https://utc.com/en/news/news-center/2011/03/29/utc-appoints-william-brown-as-senior-vice-president-corporate-strategy-develop
| title = UTC Appoints William Brown as Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development
| date =2019
| website =United Technologies
| access-date=December 17, 2019}} Before UTC he worked for McKinsey & Company as a senior engagement manager, overseeing business relationships.
Memberships and boards
Brown is on the board of directors for the Celanese Corporation,
{{cite news
| last =Price
| first =Wayne T.
| title =Brown named to Celanese Corp. board
| newspaper =Florida Today
| date =December 11, 2015
| url =https://www.floridatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/12/11/cho-florida-pain-managment-palm-bay-honors-collins/76976958/
| access-date =December 17, 2019}} the board of the Fire Department of New York City Foundation, the council of trustees for the Association of the United States Army and the board of trustees of the Florida Institute of Technology. He is chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association executive committee and a member of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. He was a member of the American Manufacturing Council before it was dissolved by President Trump.