George M C Fisher

In a surprise announcement likely to please both shareholders and employees, Eastman Kodak Co. on Wednesday named Motorola Inc. Chairman George M. C. Fisher as its new chairman and chief executive. The appointment puts one of the nation's most esteemed technology executives at the helm of a venerable but troubled company that has been unable to adapt its products and its culture to the challenges of the 1990s.

George Fisher, the onetime darling of Wall Street who struggled to pull Eastman Kodak Co. into the Digital Age, will step down as chief executive of the giant photography company, effective Jan. 1. In a move long expected, the company's board said that Fisher will be succeeded by his handpicked successor, Kodak veteran Daniel Carp. The switch comes at a time when Kodak is groping its way toward a digital future.

For Motorola Inc., the news that its chairman was quitting to run Eastman Kodak Co. was stunning and unwelcome. But it would be even more stunning if Fisher's departure caused any serious problems at the Chicago-area company. Industry executives said Thursday that Motorola's remarkable success in recent years is less a reflection of Chairman George M.C.

Chapman University President James Doti thought the business executive was kidding. George Fisher, chief executive of Eastman Kodak Co., was speaking at a university fund-raiser April 17 when he offhandedly mentioned a conversation he'd had with his wife at home. Ann Wallace Fisher had promised that if no one showed up to hear her husband's speech, she would pony up $200,000 to the university so the fund-raiser wouldn't be a flop.

Chapman University President James Doti thought the business executive was kidding. George Fisher, chief executive of Eastman Kodak Co., was speaking at a university fund-raiser April 17 when he offhandedly mentioned a conversation he'd had with his wife at home. Ann Wallace Fisher had promised that if no one showed up to hear her husband's speech, she would pony up $200,000 to the university so the fund-raiser wouldn't be a flop.

George Fisher, the onetime darling of Wall Street who struggled to pull Eastman Kodak Co. into the Digital Age, will step down as chief executive of the giant photography company, effective Jan. 1. In a move long expected, the company's board said that Fisher will be succeeded by his handpicked successor, Kodak veteran Daniel Carp. The switch comes at a time when Kodak is groping its way toward a digital future.

Faint hearts don't win world markets is but one of the morals you can draw from last week's big story of Eastman Kodak tapping Motorola's chairman to lead it back to prosperity. Short-term success seems assured. That George Fisher, who turned down the top job at IBM earlier this year, accepted the chief executive's post at Kodak tells you the photographic company is in better shape than the computer maker. If Fisher can cut costs even moderately, he'll soon have Kodak earning healthy profits.

John F. Mitchell, currently president and chief operating officer, will become a vice chairman and officer of the board of Motorola Inc., Schaumburg, Ill., effective Jan. 1. George M. C. Fisher, currently senior executive vice president and deputy to the chief executive, will become president and CEO. Vice Chairman and CEO William J. Weisz will continue as vice chairman and become an officer of the board. The changes are part of Motorola's leadership transition plan.

Like the passing of distinguished individuals, the passing of great corporations should prompt us to ponder the transience of earthly glory. So let's pay our respects to Eastman Kodak, which at this writing appears to be a shutter-click from extinction. Once ranked among the bluest of blue chips, Kodak shares sell today at close to $1. Kodak's chairman has been denying that the company is contemplating a bankruptcy filing with such vehemence that many believe Chapter 11 must lurk just around the corner.

Faint hearts don't win world markets is but one of the morals you can draw from last week's big story of Eastman Kodak tapping Motorola's chairman to lead it back to prosperity. Short-term success seems assured. That George Fisher, who turned down the top job at IBM earlier this year, accepted the chief executive's post at Kodak tells you the photographic company is in better shape than the computer maker. If Fisher can cut costs even moderately, he'll soon have Kodak earning healthy profits.

For Motorola Inc., the news that its chairman was quitting to run Eastman Kodak Co. was stunning and unwelcome. But it would be even more stunning if Fisher's departure caused any serious problems at the Chicago-area company. Industry executives said Thursday that Motorola's remarkable success in recent years is less a reflection of Chairman George M.C.

In a surprise announcement likely to please both shareholders and employees, Eastman Kodak Co. on Wednesday named Motorola Inc. Chairman George M. C. Fisher as its new chairman and chief executive. The appointment puts one of the nation's most esteemed technology executives at the helm of a venerable but troubled company that has been unable to adapt its products and its culture to the challenges of the 1990s.

George M.C. Fisher, chief executive of Eastman Kodak Co. and a heralded corporate turnaround specialist, will speak at Chapman University's annual economic forum in Irvine next Thursday. Fisher has won accolades for his resurrection of Kodak after the famed photographic supplies company foundered under the previous management's diversification strategy. After running Motorola Inc., Fisher was hired by Kodak in 1993 to bring the old-line company back to profitability.

Eastman Kodak Co. filed a two-volume set of documents with the U.S. government Monday to bolster its case that American photographic products are in effect being kept out of the lucrative Japanese market. In the 1,100 pages of data, Kodak seeks to document its allegations that rival Fuji Photo Film Co., with the aid of the Japanese government, is excluding Kodak and other foreign film manufacturers from 70% of the Japanese market.