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WIU alum Joe Creed was named the next CEO of Caterpillar.
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WIU Alum Named CEO of Caterpillar

April 16, 2025

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PEORIA, IL - - Western Illinois University proudly celebrates alumnus Joe Creed after he was named Caterpillar's next CEO.

Creed, a 1997 graduate of WIU's accountancy program, worked his way up the ladder at the company for 16 years before taking over as the chief financial officer for Caterpillar's Energy and Transportation business segment in 2013. He served as the interim CFO for Caterpillar in 2018 and then became vice president of the Oil & Gas and Marine Division and the Electric Power Division. In 2021, he was promoted to group president of Energy & Transportation. On Nov. 1, 2023, Creed was appointed to the newly created position of chief operating officer.

He will take over the CEO position on May 1.

"For 100 years, our incredible people have been the foundation of Caterpillar's success," Creed said in a statement. "I'm proud to work alongside our talented Caterpillar employees and dealers as we continue to support customers across our diverse businesses, from disaster recovery and building the world's infrastructure to delivering critical minerals and reliable energy. I look forward to leading this amazing team as we build upon Caterpillar's legacy of excellence."

Please join us in celebrating the achievements and contributions of one of our outstanding alumni, Joe Creed.

For more information on WIU's accountancy program, visit wiu.edu/accountancy.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing