Douglas R. Oberhelman (born February 25, 1953)[7] is an American businessman. He is the former CEO and Executive Chairman of Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria, Illinois.
Douglas R. Oberhelman | |
|---|---|
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| Born | February 25, 1953 (age 71) |
| Alma mater | Millikin University (1975) |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1975–present[1][2] |
| Employer | Caterpillar Inc. |
| Board member of |
|
| Spouse | Diane Cullinan[1][5][6] |
| CEO, Caterpillar | |
| In office July 1, 2010 – December 31, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | James W. Owens |
| Succeeded by | Jim Umpleby |
| Chairman of the Board, Caterpillar | |
| In office November 1, 2010 – March 31, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | James W. Owens |
| Succeeded by | Dave Calhoun |
Biography
Early life and education
Oberhelman was raised in Woodstock, Illinois, where his father was a John Deere salesman.[1] His family originates from Westphalia, Germany.[8] Oberhelman attended Millikin University, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Finance in 1975.
Career
Oberhelman joined Caterpillar shortly after his college graduation in 1975.[1][2] He became a Caterpillar Vice President in 1995, serving as Chief Financial Officer from 1995 to 1998.[2][9] He succeeded Jim Owens as CEO on July 1, 2010 and as Executive Chairman of the Board on November 1, 2010.[2][9] Oberhelman retired from Caterpillar in 2017.[10]
He sat on the board of Ameren until April 27, 2010.[11] He served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of The Business Council in 2013 and 2014.[12][13]
In September 2009, he was elected to the Board of Directors of World Resources Institute.[14][15]
Personal life
His wife, Diane Oberhelman, is chairwoman of Cullinan Properties Ltd.[5][6]
In 2011 Oberhelman earned an income (including options, bonus etc.) of $16.9 million, a sixty percent increase from his earnings the previous year.[16]