Chief technology officer to retire from Whirlpool

Mike Thieneman, executive vp and chief technology officer for Whirlpool has announced his retirement, according to a press release from the appliance maker.

Whirlpool said the company will name a successor “at a later date.”

"Mike has been a great contributor to Whirlpool," said Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool’s chairman and CEO. "His most recent contribution has been to instill effective and disciplined product development processes globally to ensure great quality and innovation for our consumers.”

Thieneman was named executive vp and chief technology officer in June 2000. He joined the company in 1977 as a project engineer. He held a variety of leadership positions, including president and CEO of Inglis (now known as Whirlpool Canada); president of Whirlpool Compressor Operations in Riva di Chieri, Italy; and, corporate vp-Global Procurement Operations. In October 1997, he was named executive vp-North American region.

Thieneman will retire effective June 30.