Esterline Selects Michel Potvin to Lead Its Control Systems Business Platform

BELLEVUE, WA--(Marketwire - Jun 17, 2011) - Esterline Corporation (NYSE: ESL), a leading specialty manufacturer serving the aerospace and defense markets, today announced that it has selected L-3 Communications executive Michel Potvin to serve as Platform President of the company's four, U.S.-based control systems operations.

Most recently, Potvin held the position of Vice President at L-3 MAS, a Canadian division of L-3 Communications, where he was responsible for leading all Military Maintenance, Repair, Overall & Upgrade (MRO&U) and Special Mission Aircraft (SMA) activities for a global customer base. Prior to joining L-3, Potvin spent nine years with Invensys Process Systems in various general management and corporate roles, including successful leadership of an international lean enterprise initiative. He spent the first decade of his career in engineering and project management positions with Lockheed Martin Canada (formerly Paramax) and Securiplex Technologies, a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin.

Esterline CEO Brad Lawrence said, "Michel's proven success in effectively leading diverse groups of people and managing complex businesses is a perfect fit for his role as president at this business platform."

Lawrence added that Potvin's track record of "...impressive business improvements resulting from a focus on operational excellence will help continue the strong momentum at Esterline Control Systems in implementing Lean."

Potvin graduated from the University of Quebec with an industrial engineering degree, followed by graduate-level studies in project management, and completion of an executive management program at the Queen's University School of Business in Ontario.

Potvin will join Esterline on July 25^th, and will manage Esterline Control Systems facilities in California, Illinois, Washington, and Wisconsin. The business platform operates within the company's Avionics & Controls segment and has a worldwide customer base for human-machine interface products used in a variety of aerospace and defense applications.

About Esterline:
Esterline Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier to the aerospace and defense industry specializing in three core areas: Advanced Materials, Avionics & Controls, and Sensors & Systems. With annual sales of more than $1.5 billion, Esterline employs over 9,000 people, including 1,500 engineers worldwide.

Operations within the Advanced Materials segment focus on technologies including high-temperature-resistant materials and components used for a wide range of military and commercial aerospace purposes, and combustible ordnance and electronic warfare countermeasure products.

Operations within the Avionics & Controls segment focus on technology interface systems for commercial and military aircraft and similar devices for land- and sea-based military vehicles, secure communications systems, specialized medical equipment, and other high-end industrial applications.

The Sensors & Systems segment includes operations that produce high-precision temperature and pressure sensors, electrical power distribution equipment, and other related systems principally for aerospace and defense customers.