Otto Breitschwerdt

Otto Breitschwerdt is chief technology officer and a senior vice president of Caterpillar Inc., responsible for the Integrated Components and Solutions (ICS) Division. ICS designs and builds components and systems that are used across the Caterpillar portfolio and also provides technology leadership, engineering, research, validation and manufacturing services to the enterprise.

Breitschwerdt joined Caterpillar in 1990 and has served in a variety of positions in sales, marketing, operations, engineering, and supply chain. Prior to this role, he was appointed senior vice president of the Building and Construction Products division (BCP). He served as BCP general manager with global responsibility for manufacturing, designing and marketing the small wheel loader, compact wheel loader, compact track loader, and skid steer loader product lines. Breitschwerdt spent time in various other assignments in the U.S. and Brazil, including the Eastern U.S. region manager, BCP engineering and supply chain director, and Brazil district manager. As the plant manager for the Campo Largo, Brazil facility, he managed the facility’s start up, from construction to full production of small wheel loaders and backhoe loaders.

Breitschwerdt earned a degree in agricultural engineering from the University of São Paulo in Brazil and is also a graduate of Caterpillar’s Executive Leadership Development Program in partnership with Stanford University. In addition to his role as director on the FFA board, he also serves on the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Construction Equipment Sector Board, and the United Way of the Triangle. He has previously served on boards for the Association of Equipment Distributors Foundation and the American Chamber of Commerce in Brazil. Breitschwerdt is a certified executive coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC) and certified in emotional intelligence through Multi-Health Systems Inc.