Olympus promotes top U.S. exec
F. Mark Gumz, previously president and chief operating officer, now is chief executive for the U.S. operations of the Japanese camera and optics company.
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Olympus has promoted F. Mark Gumz, president and chief operating officer since 2000, to be president and chief executive of the North and South American operations of the Japanese camera and optics company.
In addition, the company is changing the name of Gumz's division. Olympus USA, a holding company that represented all of Olympus' American operations and that employs 2,500 people, now is called Olympus Corporation of the Americas.
"His appointment will...help position the organization to better respond to customer needs, and his knowledge of Japanese culture and of our company makes him the perfect choice for CEO of this new company," said Tsuyoshi "Tom" Kikukawa, president of Tokyo-based Olympus, in a statement Tuesday.
Gumz worked for Olympus from 1977 to 1983 as vice president of Olympus Camera, the first American hired for the company. He left for 16 years of work consulting and doing other jobs, then returned in 2000 as president of Olympus America, Olympus said.