FLIR Systems Inc. has named James J. Cannon president and chief executive officer, effective June 19. Cannon will succeed Andy Teich, whose retirement after 33 years of service was announced on Feb. 14. He will be based out of the Company’s Wilsonville, Ore., headquarters.

“We are delighted to appoint a chief executive of Jim’s caliber,” says Earl R. Lewis, chairman of the FLIR board of directors. “Jim’s proven track record of achieving strong results in both business and the military make him uniquely well qualified to serve as FLIR’s next CEO. Our board of directors conducted a thorough search process in which Jim distinguished himself as a true leader of leaders and demonstrated his experience and adaptability running business units worldwide.”

Cannon previously served for more than 16 years in a variety of senior leadership positions at Stanley Black & Decker Inc., most recently as president of Stanley Security North America & Emerging Markets. Prior to that, he was president of the company’s Industrial & Automotive Repair (IAR) business unit, first in North America and subsequently in Europe and Latin America, before then serving as president of Stanley Oil & Gas.

In addition to his global, cross-functional leadership experience at Stanley Black & Decker, Cannon served in the U.S. Army for 10 years as an infantryman and armor officer in a wide variety of assignments around the world, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq, where he learned to appreciate FLIR’s technology and was awarded a Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He later oversaw key security missions as part of the Army’s peace enforcement operations in Bosnia.

“The opportunity to join this outstanding leadership team and serve alongside over 3,000 talented FLIR employees worldwide as the company’s next CEO is a great honor,” Cannon says. “The FLIR brand is synonymous with continuous innovation and delivering value to customers around the world. From my own personal experience having relied on FLIR technology as a combat veteran, I’ve seen firsthand the powerful, life-saving impact the Company’s portfolio of solutions can have for our customers.”

Cannon serves on the board of directors of Lydall Inc. and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration/marketing from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.

About FLIR Systems

FLIR Systems Inc. specializes in the design, manufacture and marketing of sensor systems. FLIR's systems and components are used for a wide variety of thermal imaging, situational awareness and security applications, including airborne and ground-based surveillance, condition monitoring, navigation, recreation, research and development, manufacturing process control, search and rescue, drug interdiction, transportation safety, border and maritime patrol, environmental monitoring, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) threat detection.