Parker Bertea Quickly Names New President : Management: Stephen L. Hayes, with aerospace company 21 years, succeeds Robert Rau, who resigned last week.

Parker Bertea Aerospace Group moved quickly to replace its president, promoting Stephen L. Hayes to the post only days after Robert Rau resigned.

Hayes, 51, has been with the Irvine company for 21 years, most recently as a vice president. He also succeeds Rau as vice president of Parker Bertea’s Cleveland-based parent, Parker-Hannifin Corp.

Rau resigned from his position at Parker Bertea on April 13 to take the reins as president and chief executive officer at Chula Vista-based Rohr Inc., which makes jet engine housings.

“I’m very excited about the appointment,” Hayes said Monday. “I believe that the company feels I have a lot of experience across the entire Aerospace Group. I’ve either managed or worked with all the divisions.”

Parker Bertea makes parts for military and commercial aircraft, including wheels, brakes, fuel gauging equipment and flight control systems.

Like other aerospace companies, Parker Bertea has suffered a downturn over the past few years because of military budget cuts. Since 1988, it has shaved its payroll 40% to 4,669 employees--located at 14 divisions throughout the United States. The company has about 2,450 people on its Irvine payroll, down from about 2,700 three years ago.

Hayes, however, said he does not have major changes in store for the company. “We all have different ways of doing things, but certainly my appointment means a continuation of existing policies,” he said. “Parker Bertea has done an excellent job of confronting the aerospace business environment.”

Even so, Hayes said, he expects to make further layoffs. “Unfortunately, we are going to see continued downsizing, as we size ourselves to match our business levels over the next several years.”

John J. Mackin, an analyst with Morgan Stanley brokerage in New York, concurred with Hayes that the appointment means “business as usual.”

“Since this fellow has been with the company for a long time, I don’t anticipate any change in direction or strategy,” Mackin said. “It’s a non-event, from my point of view.”