Effective February 1, 1981, Watson & Meehan, the Cummins diesel engine distributor for northern California and Nevada, will change its corporate name to Cummins West, Inc. Vice President Thomas A. Lyon succeeds president Walter McCarthy as chief executive and principal owner. Mr. McCarthy is retiring and selling the francise, as provided in his contract with the manufacturer, Cummins Engine Company of Columbus, Ind. He will, however, remain a consultant to and representative of Cummins West, Inc.
Mr. Lyon joined Watson & Meehan as vice president in 1979, after 16 years with the Cummins Engine Company, where his positions included corporate controller and vice president-international.
Watson & Meehan is Cummins's oldest distributor, founded in San Francisco in 1933 by the late H.S. Watson and R.P. Meehan who retired in 1966. Since the latter date, the management team of Mr. McCarthy and executive vice president and general manager Dennis T. Martin have overseen a fourfold growth in sales. Mr. Martin is also retiring.