Itron Inc., the Liberty Lake-based maker of automated utility meter-reading technology, announced this morning that Philip Mezey will succeed LeRoy Nosbaum as the company's president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.
Mezey, who currently serves as president and chief operating officer of Itron's global energy segment, has been with the company since it acquired Silicon Energy in 2003. At that time, he was managing director of software development for Itron's energy management solutions group.
Jon Eliassen, chairman of Itron's board of directors, says Mezey has been behind many of Itron's strategic initiatives and that he "understands the technology, innovation, and partnerships necessary to drive Itron to its next phase of growth."
When Mezey assumes the president and CEO post, John Holleran will become the company's executive vice president and COO of the global energy and water segments and will serve as interim president of global energy. Holleran currently is the company's senior vice president of special projects and its corporate secretary.
Nosbaum came out of retirement to succeed Malcolm Unsworth as Itron's president and CEO when Unsworth left the company in August 2011. Nosbaum will return to retirement effective Dec. 31, but he will act in a consulting capacity for at least the next six months.