Schweitzer Engineering Labs announces leadership change

For the first time since its founding, Pullman-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories won’t take its strategic direction from Edmund Schweitzer

The company announced Friday that Schweitzer, 77, requested to change his title from president to founder. At the same time, other company officials received promotions.

CEO Dave Whitehead will now assume the role of president and Joey Nestegard, who had been the chief business and financial officer, is now the company’s executive vice president, according to a news release. All three officials received degrees from Washington State University.

“Dave and Joey are already doing an excellent job leading SEL, and at this point, I want to be contributing more as a mentor, inventor, collaborator and teacher. Their promotions recognize their leadership and our teamwork,” Ed Schweitzer said in the release.

Schweitzer founded the company in 1982. Today it invents, designs and builds systems that protect power grids around the world. The company is 100% owned by its employees, which number about 7,000, according to the release.

“In December, when I got my annual physical, I asked the doc to grade my paper. She took her report back and wrote ‘B+’ on it. That’s not too bad for a 77-year-old desk jockey,” Schweitzer wrote.

Whitehead, the CEO, joined the company in 1994 as a hardware engineer. He later led the company’s Research & Development division before being promoted to chief operating officer and then CEO.

“I am incredibly honored to be offered this role and thankful for the experiences and opportunities I’ve had at SEL, especially getting to work closely with Ed,” Whitehead said in the release. “I am grateful for his mentorship and friendship.”

Nestegard, the new executive vice president, began working in Pullman in 2002 as a finance professional.

Over the years, he has taken on increasing responsibilities before becoming the chief business and financial officer in 2017. He also helped manage the company’s transition to full employee ownership in 2009.

“Ed’s guidance and teaching have been invaluable to my growth and to the success of SEL. I’ve learned more about business from Ed than I ever did from business school,” Nestegard said in the release. “His passion for innovation and his commitment to our employees, company, and industry have set a high standard that inspires us all.

“I look forward to building on his vision and leading SEL into an exciting future.”

The company has manufactured products in Pullman since 1984 and now serves customers in 172 countries.