Edward Mandell de Windt

SECOND-LONGEST EATON CORPORATION CHAIRMAN, EXEMPLARY CIVIC LEADER

Edward Mandell de Windt, known to his family and friends as Del, was born March 31, 1921 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and died April 4, 2012 in Stuart, Florida. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 46 years Betsy in 1987. He is survived by his second wife and great companion Mary, his five children Pamela Burke (Daniel), Delano de Windt II (Adriane), Dana de Windt (Kathy), Elizabeth Kelly (Martin) and E. M. de Windt, Jr. (Susan), thirteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Mr. de Windt graduated from Berkshire School in 1939 and attended Williams College. An exceptional athlete, Mr. de Windt excelled in football, hockey and baseball while at Berkshire and Williams.

Mr. de Windt was Eaton Corporation’s chairman of the board and chief executive officer from 1969 to 1986. He was elected Eaton’s sixth chairman and CEO in 1969. His retirement in April 1986 culminated a 45-year association with the company. Only company founder Joseph Eaton was at the company’s helm for longer than him.

“We have lost a great friend and an exceptional leader,” said Alexander M. Cutler, Eaton chairman and chief executive officer. “Under Del’s direction, Eaton became a highly diversified global company with annual sales that grew to more than $3 billion. His legacy extends to his many contributions to the Cleveland area through an unwavering commitment to the community and civic causes.”

Through strategic acquisitions, Mr. de Windt was able to grow and diversify Eaton into what has become a $16 billion global power management company. Key acquisitions during his tenure included: Char-Lynn Company in 1970, which produced hydraulic motors for agricultural and industrial equipment and the Cutler-Hammer electrical business in 1978 as well as a 1983 joint venture with Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Japan. The electrical and hydraulics businesses continue to be major growth vehicles of Eaton today.

Mr. de Windt began his career with Eaton in 1941 as a production clerk at the Battle Creek, Michigan engine valve plant. He was transferred to the company’s Cleveland headquarters in 1944 and wrote the company’s first personnel manual. He also developed a proposal for the orderly rehiring of servicemen at the end of World War II. Eaton continues to be recognized today as a veteran-friendly company.

After serving in key assignments in human resources and operations, Mr. de Windt was elected vice president of sales in 1959 and became group vice president of the company and president of Eaton International in 1961. He was elected a director of the company in 1964, executive vice president of operations in 1967, and president of the company later that year. In 1969 at the age of 48, Mr. de Windt was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer.

In addition to his numerous business accomplishments, Mr. de Windt was an outstanding civic leader in the Greater Cleveland Community, where under his leadership, four major initiatives were launched:

CLEVELAND TOMORROW became the model for all citizen groups, because it engaged local CEOs, within the business community, to collaborate with government in addressing the city’s significant economic challenges and assure future economic prosperity for the region.

GREATER CLEVELAND ROUNDTABLE was founded by Mr. de Windt with its Executive Director occupying office space at Eaton. It served as a model urban coalition for bringing together divergent groups of citizens throughout greater Cleveland to face headlong the longstanding and destructive socio-economic problems presented by poor education, racism, unemployment and insufficient fair housing.

CLEVELAND CITY GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCE was a public/private partnership funded by two large Cleveland foundations. It brought community business leaders together to address city government inefficiency and improve services. Not only were problems identified, solutions were found and remedies employed resulting in more than $40 million dollars in savings for the city.

UNITED WAY was launched in the late 1960’s to improve the delivery of health and human services by the private sector as well as to consolidate fund-raising initiatives which increased charitable giving from corporate and individual donors. Under Mr. de Windt’s leadership, along with other civic leaders, the United Way earned both community and national recognition for its effectiveness.

Over the course of his career, Mr. de Windt was a director of 15 major corporations and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. He was active in a number of industry bodies, such as the Business Council and the Business Roundtable. Mr. de Windt was frequently recognized by his peers for his professional achievements and received numerous awards. These included Industry Week magazine selecting him for its Excellence in Management award. In addition, The Wall Street Journal-Gallup poll of chief executives across the country named him one of nation’s most respected leaders.

Mr. de Windt received numerous local, state, national and international awards as a result of both his professional and community leadership. In 1972 he was conferred the title of Commendatore of the Italian Republic by the President of Italy, and in 1982 was appointed Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth. In 1986 United Way of America presented him with their highest honor, the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award. He received eight honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the United States. Mr. de Windt was an avid and excellent golfer and served as Chairman of the Tour Policy Board, the governing body of The PGA Tour, for 12 years.

Throughout his business and civic careers, he lived by only one motto:

“Behold the turtle-he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”

There will be a private family service in his hometown of Great Barrington. Those wishing to contribute in his memory may do so to the Betsy de Windt Cancer Research Laboratories c/o The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, P.O. Box 931517 Cleveland, Ohio 44101-8713 or to The First Tee of Cleveland, 3841 Washington Park Boulevard, Newburgh Heights, Ohio 44105