Johnson Controls appoints vice chairman and president

Stephen A. Roell, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Controls, Inc., announced the appointments of two senior executives. Alex Molinaroli has been named vice chairman of Johnson Controls, reporting to Roell, and Brian Kesseler has been appointed vice president, and president of the company’s Power Solutions business, reporting to Molinaroli. The Johnson Controls Board of Directors also has elected Kesseler a corporate officer. Both executives have long career histories at Johnson Controls. Molinaroli joined the company in 1983, and has served as president of Power Solutions since 2007. He was elected a corporate officer in 2004, and has held a series of leadership positions in the Johnson Controls Building Efficiency business. Kesseler began his Johnson Controls career in 1994 in the Automotive Experience business, and most recently has been serving as chief operating officer for Power Solutions. He has extensive leadership experience in all of the company’s business groups. “Both Alex and Brian have been outstanding contributors to our company’s sustained success for decades, and these appointments greatly strengthen our strategic and leadership capabilities for today and the future,” said Roell.

In his new role, Molinaroli will continue serving as a member of the Executive Operating Team, along with other key management committees. In addition, he will work collaboratively with Roell to drive strategy and operational performance, and serve as a senior business partner to the leaders of the company’s operating groups.

Kesseler will lead the Power Solutions team worldwide. In this role he also will represent the company in the advancement of energy-storage technologies, the support of vehicle energy- efficiency standards, and as an advocate for sound energy and environmental policies. He also will become a member of the Executive Operating Team.

Molinaroli holds a Bachelor of Science in computer and electrical engineering from the University of South Carolina, and earned his Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  Alex serves on the board of regents for the Milwaukee School of Engineering, president of the Battery Council International, and is a board member of Interstate Batteries. He is a founding member of the Electrification Coalition. 

Kesseler earned a Bachelor of Science in finance from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College. Brian serves on the board of directors for Special Olympics – Wisconsin and Marquette University High School.