BELLEVUE, Wash., April 30, 2012 – Esterline Corporation (www.esterline.com) (NYSE Symbol: ESL), a leading global specialty manufacturer primarily serving the aerospace and defense markets, today announced that after 12 years leading the Souriau connector company, François Calvarin will be leaving the business in September, and has selected a successor, Jean-Luc Gavelle, former Chief Operating Officer of Switzerland-based HUBER+SUHNER’s Radio-Frequency Division.

Esterline CEO Brad Lawrence said, “…François was a strong proponent of Esterline’s strategic acquisition of Souriau last July and we were fortunate to have his enthusiasm in leading the integration of the business into Esterline.  He has worked tirelessly to position Souriau as a valuable member of the Esterline team.”  

Lawrence added that, “…having a successor of Jean-Luc’s caliber to lead our growing connector business will ensure the continued success of Souriau products.”

Calvarin plans to pursue new personal challenges once he leaves Esterline.  But he’ll spend the next five months taking time to introduce Gavelle to the business.  Calvarin took an active role in the recruitment of the fellow France native, saying, “…Jean-Luc has the business savvy and intelligence to continue Souriau’s success and while I admit I will miss being a part of the progress, I know I am leaving the business in good hands.”

Gavelle has 28 years of industry experience in electronics and connection solutions.  He most recently worked for a Swiss components and systems connectivity company, HUBER+SUHNER, for over a decade and was a member of the corporate management team based in Switzerland.  Prior to that, Gavelle held management positions in the electronic products division of WL Gore & Associates in France.

Gavelle speaks French, English and Portuguese and has lived in several different areas of the world during his career, including Asia and South America.  Esterline is confident his diverse personal and professional experiences and strong business background will allow him to get up to speed quickly and be an effective leader for the company. 

Souriau is a top global supplier of connection solutions for harsh applications in the aerospace, defense, energy and industrial equipment markets.  The company currently has more than 2,500 employees in 11 locations worldwide and operates as the largest business platform within Esterline, known as Esterline Connection Technologies. 

About Esterline:
Esterline Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier to the aerospace and defense industry specializing in three core areas: Advanced Materials; Avionics & Controls; and Sensors & Systems. With annual sales approaching $2 billion, Esterline employs roughly 12,000 people worldwide.

Operations within the Advanced Materials segment focus on technologies including high-temperature-resistant materials and components used for a wide range of military and commercial aerospace purposes, and combustible ordnance and electronic warfare countermeasure products.

Operations within the Avionics & Controls segment focus on technology interface systems for commercial and military aircraft and similar devices for land- and sea-based military vehicles, cockpit integration systems, secure communications systems, specialized medical equipment, and other high-end industrial applications.

The Sensors & Systems segment includes operations that produce high-precision temperature and pressure sensors, specialized harsh-environment connectors, electrical power distribution equipment, and other related systems principally for aerospace and defense customers.