Cummins announced that effective Aug. 1, Tom Linebarger will end his term as CEO and Jennifer Rumsey, president and chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO.
Rumsey will be the seventh CEO and first woman to lead the company since it was founded in 1919. Linebarger will continue to serve as chairman of the board of directors and in an executive chairman role, working directly with Rumsey on specific initiatives that position the company for continued success, including completing its pending acquisition of Meritor.
“She has been my partner in developing the Destination Zero strategy, which sets forth how the decarbonization of our industry will be a significant growth opportunity for Cummins,” Linebarger said. “Her background as an engineer and technology expertise provides her a deep understanding of the major technical changes taking place and how to capitalize on them. Jen uniquely understands our customers and business, having worked in many different parts of the business during her more than 20-year career, and in every role, she has consistently delivered results. Most recently, she led our global operations as COO during one of the most challenging periods in our history, delivering record revenues and dramatically improving product quality and our market position while addressing unprecedented supply chain constraints. Most importantly, Jen is a principled leader who cares deeply about our stakeholders. We share a common vision for Cummins, and I am confident that Jen will lead Cummins into an even more prosperous future.”
Tom Lynch, Cummins lead director, said, “On behalf of the Cummins board, I want to thank Tom for his three decades at the company, including the last 15 years where he served first in the COO role and then as CEO. His leadership has grown Cummins’ global business, positioned the company to lead in zero- and low-carbon solutions, and developed a highly capable and diverse management team to lead us through the technology transition. We look forward to his continued contributions as executive chairman. During our long-term strategic planning, the Board had the opportunity to see Jen lead on key business initiatives and co-author the Destination Zero strategy with Tom. Jen is the ideal choice to lead Cummins into its next chapter, and we are confident that Jen will drive continued success for our business and customers.”
Since taking on the role of COO in March 2021, Rumsey has overseen Cummins’ global operations. In February 2022, she was elected to the Cummins Board of Directors, and she will maintain her seat on the board.
“I am honored and proud to be appointed the next CEO of Cummins and excited about what the future holds for the company,” said Rumsey. “Growing up in Columbus, Indiana, where Cummins was founded, and spending most of my career here makes this announcement incredibly meaningful. I am grateful to Tom for his support and mentorship over the years and to the Board for their confidence in my leadership. My technical background, business experience and focus on people, purpose, and impact have prepared me for this moment. At Cummins, we build solutions that serve our customers’ needs and better our planet both now and in the future. At a time when technology is evolving more rapidly than at any point in our history, we must emphasize the critical role people play in our collective success. By putting people at the center of everything we do, we will power the path to decarbonization and advance our mission of powering a more prosperous world.”
