Firm Anticipates Surge in Sales : Ultrasystems Reorganizes, Creates 4 Executive Jobs
In a series of moves designed to strengthen its management team and prepare for a new surge of sales growth, Ultrasystems Inc. said Wednesday that it has reorganized its operations and created four top-level executive positions.
Further, the Irvine-based defense contractor and power plant builder announced the creation of a high-powered advisory committee for its space and defense subsidiary, which is scheduled to become a public company within the next three months. Committee members include two former top military intelligence officials and a former deputy director of the National Security Agency.
In the first of its operating changes, the company said, it grouped its power plant operations in a new Power & Environmental Systems subsidiary, headed by James P. Kelly.
In his new job, Kelly, formerly president of C.F. Braun Co. engineering in Alhambra, will oversee Ultrasystems’ power plant development, construction and management operations throughout the world.
John H. Dean has been named board chairman and chief executive officer of Ultrasystems Defense & Space Inc. Dean will continue to serve as a senior vice president and board member of the parent company.
Expanding Management
The moves were quickly endorsed by analysts, who said the reorganization is Ultrasystems’ bid to expand its management talent in time to handle the sales spurt it is trying to generate.
“This is a major juncture for Ultrasystems’ growth, and they have taken the management steps necessary to see it through,” said Michael Carstens, a defense industry analyst for the Tucker, Anthony & R.L. Day brokerage firm in New York.
Terence York, an analyst with Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. in New York, said the appointments will correct a lack of management depth at Ultrasystems, which had contributed to some of the company’s problems in the past.
“There is too much for one person to handle,” York said of the responsibilities that had previously belonged solely to board chairman and president Philip J. Stevens.
Appointments Made
In other moves, Ragan T. Phillips was appointed senior vice president of Ultrasystems Inc. Phillips formerly was president of Fluor Power Group in Irvine. In his new position, he will be responsible for acquiring new business and planning for the power segment of the company’s activities.
Gerald K. Lindner was appointed vice president of Ultrapower Inc., another subsidiary. He is responsible for developing new business for the company’s coal-fired co-generation power plant unit. Previously, Lindner was manager of corporate development and planning operations for the Construction Engineering Services Group of General Electric Corp.
The first three members of the new advisory council for the defense and space subsidiary are:
- Retired Vice Adm. E.A. Burkhalter, former commander of the Naval Intelligence Command and deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
- Retired Lt. Gen. James A. Williams, who formerly served as commander of U.S. Army counterintelligence activities at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe, as deputy chief of staff for intelligence at the U.S. Army European headquarters, and as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
- Ann Z. Caracristi, former deputy director of the National Security Agency.
