3Com Corporation announced the appointment of former Sony president and CEO Carl J. Yankowski as CEO and director of its Palm Computing subsidiary. Yankowski was also president and CEO of the Reebok Brand. He will join Palm Computing on December 13.
“Carl is a highly respected and experienced global business leader with a successful track record of building new markets, extending existing business, ensuring operational excellence and creating brand value,” said Eric Benhamou, chairman and CEO of 3Com. “His wide range of management, technology and marketing experience makes him the ideal executive to extend Palm’s leadership in the handheld market.”
Yankowski said he was enthusiastic about his move to Palm Computing. “I look forward to working with the Palm team to both expand upon past successes and develop new capabilities and services,” he said.
Originally a systems analyst and electrical engineer with both business and BSEE degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yankowski has more than 25 years of experience with companies like Sony, Polaroid, General Electric and Memorex. He joined Reebok in September 1998 after five years at Sony Electronics as president and COO.
Yankowski joins Alan J. Kessler and Judy Bruner as the executive management team of Palm. Kessler, president of Palm since June 1999, continues in that role. Previously he was senior vice president of global customer service for 3Com. He has been with 3Com since 1985. Bruner was named senior vice president and CFO of Palm in September 1999, after having served most recently as vice president and corporate controller for 3Com. She joined 3Com in 1988 as corporate treasurer.
In addition to Yankowski’s appointment to the Palm Board of Directors, 3Com also announced the addition of Eric A. Benhamou and Susan G. Swenson to the Palm Board. Swenson is currently the president and COO of Leap Wireless International and CEO of Cricket Communications, Inc. Previously, she served as president and CEO of Cellular One, a joint venture between AirTouch/Vodafone and AT&T Wireless. Benhamou, currently Chairman and CEO of 3Com, continues to lead 3Com, the company he joined in 1987 through 3Com’s acquisition of Bridge Communications. Benhamou co-founded Bridge in 1981 and has been 3Com’s CEO since 1990. Yankowski, Swenson and Benhamou join previously named board members James L. Barksdale, Managing Partner of The Barksdale Group, and Gordon A. Campbell, President and Chairman of the Board, Techfarm.Inc.
