from the department of "Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Latitudes…"

As reported in this space last week, Emerson has, at last, been able to announce that Peter Zornio, long time technical marketing guru at Honeywell, has joined Emerson as Chief Strategic Officer.From the official press release:
AUSTIN, TEXAS (January 16, 2007) – Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business (NYSE: EMR), has announced the appointment of Peter Zornio to the new position of chief strategic officer. Zornio will direct strategic initiatives for Emerson Process Management, which specializes in innovative technology and services that enable businesses like oil and gas facilities, refineries, power generators, chemical plants, pharmaceutical companies and other enterprises to automate their operations.
“Peter will have a leadership role in prioritizing our technology investments and identifying acquisition candidates,” said John Berra, president of Emerson Process Management. “Peter’s experience and leadership qualities will add greatly to the meeting of our goals for the future and, ultimately, in helping Emerson retain process automation industry leadership worldwide. We are extremely excited to have him join us.”
Zornio, a 21-year veteran of the process automation industry, most recently was director of product marketing for Honeywell, where he was responsible for control systems, safety systems, and software for asset management and manufacturing execution. Zornio also worked with measurement products, and the acquisition and integration of a major automation company. Peter has a strong background with fieldbus technologies, which are the communications foundation of PlantWeb digital plant architecture and other leading Emerson Process Management technologies.
“I’m very pleased to have this great opportunity with industry leader Emerson Process Management,” said Zornio. “Emerson’s dedicated focus on maximizing customer value through automation has resulted in a broad portfolio of technology and services that uniquely position the company for continued success.”
This is a fascinating development, in abeyance while Zornio served out a six-month time-delay. What is most fascinating about it is that Emerson rarely hires outside at this level, and at the level at which they hired in Jose Gutierrez last year.