A. O. Smith Corporation, a leader in water heating and water treatment, has announced that Ming Cheng will become A. O. Smith’s next senior vice president and chief technology officer. He replaces Bob Heideman, who has been with the company in different capacities since 1994. Cheng, who was most recently senior vice president of research and development for the Transportation and Electronics Business Group at 3M Company, will join A. O. Smith July 7. Heideman will stay on through Sept. 1, to ensure a smooth transition.

Cheng has worked for 3M for the past 25 years. In his current role, he leads a global team focused on technology, product development, product engineering and application engineering. During his time at 3M, Cheng served as vice president of research and development in the Greater China area for four years. He also worked as vice president of research and development for the electronics materials solutions division, laboratory director, laboratory manager, business development supervisor and research specialist.

He received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Peking University in Beijing, China, a Doctoral Degree in polymer chemistry from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota. 

“Ming is an experienced global R&D leader with a diverse background. I had the privilege of working with him for nearly 10 years at 3M and over that time developed a tremendous amount of respect for his leadership, business acumen and technical depth,” said A. O. Smith Chief Executive Officer Steve Shafer. “His ability to drive innovation through complex business challenges will serve us well as we continue to grow as an organization. He appreciates our strong legacy and commitment to our values and understands the important role innovation plays in delivering long-term profitable growth.”

Heideman was named senior vice president, engineering and technology in 2011, and chief technology officer in 2013, overseeing the company’s research and engineering. He joined the company in 1994 as a project engineer at the Corporate Technology Center (CTC), the company’s Milwaukee-based research and engineering facility. Over the years, he worked as a section manager for the Metallurgy and Prototyping Group, director of materials and processes at the CTC, and vice president of the CTC.

“Bob has been a guiding force throughout our product evolution – helping identify, advance and strengthen our position as a global water technology leader,” Shafer said. “From heat pump water heaters to water filtration systems, Bob has led the development of some of the industry’s most energy-efficient and top-performing products. We thank Bob for his dedication and steadfast commitment to A. O. Smith and our history of innovation.”