Lecture on "Success is Not a Game of Solitaire"

Tuesday, February 3, 2009
2:30 p.m., Everett Theatre

“Success Is Not a Game of Solitaire”

Frederic M. Poses, Chairman and CEO, American Standard (retired)

Achieving success requires leadership to create a compelling vision and agenda, to share that vision and agenda broadly, to enable an organization and people to execute it effectively and, finally, recognize and reward that success.

American Standard Companies was an $11 billion global company with 60,000 employees. In 2007 the company spun off to its shareowners the Vehicle Controls Business (WABCO) and sold its Bath & Kitchen business to private equity. The largest and remaining business, Trane – air conditioning, was acquired by Ingersoll Rand in June 2008. Upon completion of that acquisition, Poses retired.

Prior to joining American Standard in October 1999, Poses was president and chief operating officer of AlliedSignal Inc., which has since merged with Honeywell. He joined AlliedSignal as a financial analyst in 1969. He served in a series of leadership positions, and in October 1997, he was elected to the board of directors and named vice chairman of AlliedSignal Inc. He was appointed president and chief operating officer in June 1998.

Before joining AlliedSignal, Poses spent two years in Peru with the Peace Corps. He holds a B.B.A. from New York University.

Poses serves as the non-executive chairman of the board of Tyco Electronics and as a director for Centex Corporation and Raytheon Company. In addition, he is chairman of the board of the National Center for Learning Disabilities; a member of the board of visitors at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering; and a trustee of the Eagle Hill School, 92nd Street Y, and Central Synagogue.