Johnson Controls announced in November that they had named Lei Schlitz (’98 PhD Mechanical Engineering) president of Global Products.
A researcher focused on heat transfer, Schlitz began her career at Eaton Corporation’s Innovation Center before taking positions at GE Global Research Center, GE Industrial Systems and Siemens. She joined Illinois Tool Works in 2008 as vice president of research and development and was appointed executive vice president in 2015. Under her leadership, ITW was recognized in 2017 as “Best in Class” by Food Equipment Magazine and as the recipient of EPA’s Energy Star Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award.
In 2018, Schlitz received a Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from UWM’s Alumni Association.
In 2021, Schlitz and her husband, Daniel J. Schlitz (’92 MS Engineering), established the Diane K. Schlitz ’59 and Harold L. Schlitz ’59 Memorial Engineering Fund. The fund supports pre-college programs and activities offered by UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science that encourage participants to enroll in UWM’s engineering or other STEM programs.