Xerox Names Paul Allaire as Chairman

Paul A. Allaire, president and chief executive of Xerox Corp., was elected chairman Wednesday.

Allaire, 52, who has been president since 1986 and chief executive since August, succeeded David T. Kearns, who had been chairman since 1985.

Kearns, 60, who retired, was sworn in as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday.

Allaire will continue as chief executive. The position of president was eliminated.

Allaire has held a variety of positions in financial planning and management since he joined Stamford, Conn.-based Xerox in 1966. In 1975, he was named chief staff officer and executive director of Rank Xerox Ltd. in London. He became managing director of Rank Xerox in 1980 and returned to the United States in 1983 as senior vice president and chief staff officer. He was elected to the board of directors in 1986.