Honeywell executive slated for First Solar’s CEO slot

Tempe, Ariz. thin-film leader First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) has named a new head honcho.

First Solar announced today that Robert Gillette has been appointed CEO, taking over the post from Mike Ahear, who has been CEO and chairman since August 2000. 

For the past 4.5 years, Gillette has been the CEO of Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace,  which has more than $12 billion in annual sales and nearly 100 worldwide manufacturing and service sites. At Honeywell Aerospace, a division of Honeywell (NYSE:HON), he led more than 40,000 employees.

“Rob has a track record of fostering innovation and bringing new technologies and products to market,” said Ahearn, in a news release. “He has built organizational capability to enable businesses to scale in complex and geographically diverse markets, and he has worked extensively in global markets, including Europe, Asia and South America.”

Gillette started at Honeywell in 1996 where he worked in a number of senior management positions, including CEO of Honeywell Transportation Systems and president of Honeywell Turbo Technologies. Before Honeywell, he spent more than 10 years at General Electric.

Gillette takes over his new post officially on Oct. 1. Ahearn will continue to serve as executive chairman, where he plans to focus on government policy issues.

Honeywell also announced today that Tim Mahoney has been named to replace Gillette as CEO of Honeywell Aerospace. Mahoney most recently served as chief technology officer of Honeywell Aerospace.

Last month, First Solar and Rosemead, Calif.-based utility Southern California Edison said they are planning to build 550 megawatts of photovoltaic solar projects in Southern California, using First Solar’s thin-film photovoltaic solar modules (see First Solar, SCE sign PPA for 550 MW solar projects).

In its second quarter earnings report, First Solar said it reduced the manufacturing cost to produce its thin-film panels to $0.87 per watt, down 6.5 percent from the previous quarter. First Solar also plans to expand its manufacturing capacity to 1,100 MW this year (see Is 5N Plus losing traction with First Solar?).