Leading construction and mining equipment, engine, turbine and locomotive manufacturer Caterpillar announced today the appointment of Lou Balmer-Millar as Chief Sustainability Officer.

Balmer-Millar joined Caterpillar in 2001, and currently serves as Senior Vice President of the Large Power Systems Division within the Energy and Transportation segment. She has also served as the division’s General Manager of high-speed engines and components, and as Director of Research and Advanced Engineering with responsibility for execution and governance of Caterpillar’s technology strategy.

Prior to joining the company, she led materials and chemical engineering research efforts at the Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Caterpillar established the Chief Sustainability Officer role in 2021, with the appointment of Julie Lagacy as the first to hold the role. Lagacy will retire in February 2023, after 35 years with the company, and will work with Balmer-Miller in the interim.

Jim Umpleby, Caterpillar Chairman and CEO, said:  

“Sustainability is an important focus area of our long-term strategy for profitable growth. Building on her role in Caterpillar’s Energy & Transportation segment, this move further enhances the advancement of product solutions to support our customers during the energy transition and help them achieve their climate-related objectives by geography, by application and by specific customer need. We remain committed to helping our customers build a better, more sustainable world.”