A series of top level management reassignments to strengthen the administration of Tenneco Inc.'s manufacturing operations was announced in Houston, Texas, by N. W. Freeman, Tenneco Inc. president and chief executive officer. The changes were effective January 1.
L. C. Ackerman has been named president and chief executive officer of Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Newport News, Va. He joins Donald A. Holden, chairman of the board, in executive responsibility over that firm.
Thomas G. Cook succeeds Mr. Ackerman as president of Walker Manufacturing Company of Racine, Wis., moving up from vice-president and treasurer.
Both Newport News Shipbuilding, the nation's largest shipbuilder, and Walker Manufacturing, maker of automotive equipment, are wholly owned subsidiaries of Tenneco Inc.
Mr. Freeman described the new assignments as the result of the projected continuing growth of Tenneco's manufacturing operations and the collateral increase in the complexities and burdens of administration.
Mr. Ackerman joins Newport News Shipbuilding after 16 years with Walker Manufacturing, including nearly three years as president. A native of Los Angeles, he received an A.B. degree in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1940. He joined Walker Manufacturing in 1952 as sales representative and after promotions to product manager and marketing manager was named vice-president and general manager of Galt Metal Industries, Limited, a Canadian subsidiary, in 1958. He became vice-president of Walker Manufacturing's international division in 1963, vice-president of marketing in 1965, and president in 1966.
Mr. Ackerman will remain a director and member of the executive committee of Walker Manufacturing. He has been a director of Newport News Shipbuilding since last September, and also serves on the board of J.I. Case Company, in which Tenneco Inc. owns a 56 percent interest.
Mr. Holden, chairman of the board and an officer of the company, has had dual responsibility as chairman of the board and president of Newport News Shipbuilding since 1965. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with bachelor of science and master of science degrees, he joined the company in 1934. He became vice-president and a director in 1959, executive vice-president in 1960, and president in 1964.
He is a member of the board of directors of Tenneco Inc. and is also a director of the First & Merchants National Bank and of the Commonwealth Natural Gas Corporation, both of Richmond, Va.
The manufacturing operations of Tenneco Inc. are carried on principally by Newport News Shipbuilding, which was acquired by Tenneco Inc. last September, and by Walker Manufacturing and J.I. Case. They comprise one of Tenneco's six major business activities, which also include operations in chemicals, natural gas pipelining, oil, packaging, and land use.