Itron names Tom Deitrich as new president and CEO

Liberty Lake-based Itron Inc. announced Monday it has named Tom Deitrich president and chief executive officer of the company.

Deitrich has served as Itron’s executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2015. He will assume the role of president and CEO on Aug. 6, according to a company release.

Deitrich succeeds Philip Mezey, who announced his retirement from Itron in January.

“After conducting an extensive global search considering multiple candidates, the board of directors determined that Tom Deitrich exhibited the best skill set for Itron’s continued operational transformation and success, a compelling understanding of the marketplace and a strong strategic vision for Itron’s future,” Lynda Ziegler, chair of Itron’s board of directors, said.

Deitrich has more than 20 years of executive management experience, with roles in global operations at Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Flextronics International Inc., Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Inc. and General Electric Corp.

Deitrich played a role in shaping Itron’s innovation and product strategies, and creating product business units as well as its global commercial and customer enablement organization.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to innovate and grow our business in the industrial Internet of Things market, and I’m committed to executing our strategy and building more value for our customers and shareholders,” Deitrich said.

Itron, which spun off from Avista Corp. in 1977, is a leading hardware maker and service provider to the utility industry. The company helps cities and utilities track and manage energy and water use in more than 100 countries.