Schweitzer Engineering names D’Acosta as new CEO

Fast-growing Schweitzer Engineering Labs has named Luis D’Acosta as its chief executive officer. D’Acosta succeeds company founder Edmund Schweitzer III in that role. Schweitzer will remain the company’s president and chairman.

Schweitzer said the appointment will allow him to expand his focus on new technologies and growth opportunities.

He has headed the privately held company for 30 years.

SEL, with main offices in Pullman and Lewiston, designs and manufactures devices used in protecting, monitoring and controlling electric power systems. It has 3,700 employees worldwide.

D’Acosta has been with the company since 2005. He has headed its SEL Mexico division and then became chief operating officer in May 2013.

Schweitzer said the goal of the change is to put more emphasis on global sales, customer service and developing new products.

“I am definitely not retiring,” Schweitzer said in an email.

“We are complementary. Luis has an MBA and I have a Ph.D in engineering,” he added.

The two will collaborate on one- and five-year strategic plans for SEL, he said.

“Luis and I are going to have a lot of fun leading the business and technical aspects of moving forward in these areas.”

An additional focus will be developing better systems for security and power management, including cyber security, Schweitzer said.

“I like to help SEL sprout new technical ‘roots’ and help them grow,” he said.

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