Business
Amazon closes book on operations chief
Jeffrey Wilke replaces Jimmy Wright as e-commerce giant undergoes major upgrade of its distribution network.
Amazon.com has named Jeffrey Wilke as its vice president of operations, the company said Friday.
Wilke replaces Jimmy Wright, a Wal-Mart veteran who is retiring from Amazon after a year with the company.
The shift comes as Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) works through a major upgrade of its distribution network. An Amazon spokesman said the company hopes to have new facilities in Kentucky, Georgia, and Kansas up and running by the end of the year.
Wilke formerly served as vice president and general manager of AlliedSignal Inc.'s (NYSE:ALD) Pharmaceutical Fine Chemicals unit. He officially starts at Amazon next week, the spokesman said.
Amazon said Wright's departure was amicable and that he worked with the company to find his replacement.