Caterpillar Inc. has announced its board of directors has appointed Suzette Long as the company’s general counsel and corporate secretary. Long has provided interim leadership to Caterpillar’s Law and Public Policy group since mid-February. The group she will lead includes Caterpillar’s Legal Services Division and Global Government and Corporate Affairs Division. Long also will be Caterpillar’s corporate secretary.
“Since she assumed the interim role in February, Suzette has demonstrated outstanding leadership while also establishing herself as a trusted advisor and counselor to myself and other senior executives. She is an excellent addition to Caterpillar’s executive office,” said Caterpillar CEO Jim Umpleby.
Long brings nearly 18 years of legal experience to the position, including nearly 12 years of leadership in various Caterpillar legal roles. In her role as general counsel and corporate secretary, Long will be a member of Caterpillar’s executive office and will report directly to Umpleby. She will assume her new role effective immediately.
Long first joined Caterpillar in 2004 as an attorney in the legal department. She has served in a number of senior corporate attorney positions and was named associate general counsel in 2011. In 2013, Long assumed the position of deputy general counsel for the Legal Services Division, and in that role lead the environmental health and safety, product regulatory and investigations groups. In 2015, Long assumed the position of deputy general counsel leading the legal support for Caterpillar’s Energy & Transportation segment. Prior to joining Caterpillar, she was an attorney with the law firm Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix.
Long has bachelor’s and law degrees from Arizona State University and a master’s degree from the University of Arizona. She also has completed Caterpillar’s Executive Leadership Program through Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
