John Galyen, president of Danfoss North America in Ames, Iowa, since 2011, announced his retirement from Danfoss later this summer. Rick Sporrer, vice president of sales, America for Danfoss Power Solutions, was named to succeed Galyen, the company said.

Over the next several months, Galyen and Sporrer will work together to ensure a successful transition, with Sporrer fully assuming the role on July 1. Galyen joined the Danfoss team in 2001 and held various management-level positions prior to his appointment to his current role. During his 21-plus year career with Danfoss, he helped drive the company’s regional growth in North America — from $100 million in annual sales to $3 billion — and made significant contributions to the success of the business, the company said.

Active in leadership capacities with various industry associations, in 2020, Galyen served as chairman of the board of directors of the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute and holds a seat on the board of governors at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. He also has been an active thought leader and speaker on various influential panels addressing efficiency and sustainability topics, Danfoss North America said.

“The past 21 years at Danfoss have been the most rewarding of my career,” Galyen said. “I’m proud of the strides we have made in growing our business and footprint in North America, which is now Danfoss’ largest region, and I’m especially proud of the industry leadership position we’ve taken — together with our customers — to meet the changing market requirements. Rick is well-positioned to help Danfoss North America continue its growth journey and innovation in sustainable solutions.” 

Sporrer, who has more than 30 years of customer and regional expertise and leadership, was invaluable in preparing for Danfoss’ successful merger with Eaton Hydraulics last year, the company said.

“John has provided exceptional leadership to Danfoss North America for the past 15 years,” Sporrer said. “I’m looking forward to working with our business units to continue our commitment to innovation and customer service as we engineer solutions for a more sustainable world.”