Chester, Connecticut – November 19, 2020 – Whelen announced on Tuesday that Geoff Marsh, former COO, has been named the company’s President and CEO. Former President and CEO George W Whelen V has been named Executive Vice President and has been elected to Whelen’s Board of Directors.
“George’s extraordinary vision and leadership have guided Whelen to its position as the world’s most innovative emergency warning company,” said Sonny Whelen. “George has made countless contributions to Whelen’s success – most notably in our software development initiatives and revolutionary connected control systems.”
As Executive Vice President, George will be focusing fully on developing transformational projects to ensure Whelen stays at the forefront of innovative product development. George will continue to serve Whelen with his unique insights, creativity, and inspiration, while being able to focus on strategic initiatives for long term growth.
“We have complete confidence that Geoff is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Sonny. “Geoff’s 26 years of service to Whelen have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”
Geoff has been a key member of Whelen’s expansive growth – developing products such as ION™ and Pioneer™ lightheads and the iconic Liberty™ lightbar. He was also at the forefront of Whelen’s control system development.
“It is with great pride that I announce the promotion of my friend and longtime colleague Geoff Marsh to CEO of Whelen,” said George Whelen. “Geoff has been with Whelen for much of our growth and has been a key player in shaping the organization that we are today. His business acumen, market understanding, practicality, and problem-solving abilities will ensure that we continue to provide our customers with quality, high-performing, innovative products. Whelen is a brand relied on by first responders around the world, and under Geoff’s leadership we will continue to deliver on that commitment.”
As COO, Geoff was previously responsible for all of Whelen’s production, manufacturing, and supply chain management. He also led Whelen’s Engineering team and played a key role in the continued development of advanced engineering processes, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly competitive and demanding market.
This realignment is part of a strategic plan designed to ensure Whelen’s long term growth and success, allowing the company to innovate with the greatest speed, efficiency, and capability.
About Whelen Engineering
Whelen revolutionized emergency warning technology with the invention of the first rotating “anti-collision” beacon in 1952. Today, Whelen continues to push the boundaries of innovation with reliable and powerful lights, sirens, control systems, and software. Whelen encompasses two state-of-the-art facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire, with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space. With quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
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Since 1952, Whelen Engineering has been a proud ally and supporter of our nation’s first responders. Driven by a mission to protect those who others, Whelen provides the high quality, reliable products and technology needed to aid them in their critical missions. From warning lights to white illumination, sirens, controllers, and software, every product that bears the Whelen name has been thoughtfully designed, manufactured, and tested right here in America to perform at the highest level in any condition. Whelen strives to ensure that the everyday heroes serving under the illumination and protection of its products are equipped to do their jobs with enhanced efficiency, reliability, and safety.