Johnson Controls names Chris Scalia as new HR chief

CORK, Ireland - Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), a $70 billion market cap leader in smart buildings technology and a prominent player in the Building Products industry, appointed Chris Scalia as executive vice president and chief human resources officer, the smart buildings company announced Tuesday. According to InvestingPro data, the company has demonstrated strong financial health with a perfect Piotroski Score of 9, indicating excellent operational efficiency.

Scalia joins Johnson Controls after a 20-year career at The Hershey Company, where he most recently served as both Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Transformation Officer. He will report directly to CEO Joakim Weidemanis and join the company’s executive committee.

During his tenure at Hershey, Scalia led enterprise-wide transformation efforts focused on enabling growth, productivity, and technology adoption. His experience includes leadership roles across supply chain, P&L operations, talent management, and business model transformation.

"Chris brings a rare combination of people and culture strategy, operational excellence, and a deep commitment to building excellent teams," said Weidemanis in the press release.

Scalia succeeds Marlon Sullivan, who will depart Johnson Controls at the end of July and serve as an advisor for several months afterward.

Before joining Hershey, Scalia began his career at Morgan Lewis practicing labor relations and management employment law. He holds an Executive Master’s degree in Human Resources from Cornell University, a Juris Doctorate from Penn State, and a Bachelor of Arts from Juniata College.

Johnson Controls, which specializes in smart building technologies and solutions, describes itself as focused on transforming environments where people live, work, learn and play. The company has shown impressive performance, generating $23.25 billion in revenue over the last twelve months, with its stock trading near its 52-week high of $107.20. InvestingPro analysis reveals 14+ additional key insights about Johnson Controls’ performance and valuation, available through their comprehensive Pro Research Report, which provides deep-dive analysis of what really matters for informed investment decisions.

In other recent news, Johnson Controls has announced a substantial $9 billion share repurchase authorization, adding to the $1.1 billion remaining from its previous authorization. This move by the board of directors allows for share repurchases through various methods such as open market transactions and tender offers. In a separate development, Moody’s Ratings has upgraded Johnson Controls’ senior unsecured ratings to Baa1 from Baa2, reflecting expectations of improved EBITDA margins and stronger cash generation. Moody’s anticipates favorable demand in the company’s commercial HVAC and building controls sectors, projecting multi-year growth. Meanwhile, UBS has reiterated its buy rating for Johnson Controls, forecasting a 70% earnings upside over the next three years. UBS highlights a recent $9 billion increase in share repurchase authorization as a positive factor for potential earnings growth. On the other hand, Oppenheimer has downgraded Johnson Controls from Outperform to Perform, citing the stock’s valuation reaching historical highs. The firm awaits further details from the company’s ongoing strategic review before reconsidering its rating.

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