Craig Arnold

Chief executive officer Craig Arnold was born on May 8, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York, New York to Mary and William Arnold. He graduated from Walt Whitman High School in South Huntington, New York in 1978. He received his B.A. degree in psychology from California State University, San Bernardino in 1982. Arnold then attended Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, California, where he earned his M.B.A. in 1988.

In 1983, he became a sales representative at General Electric (GE) Company. He was soon promoted to corporate vice president and president of GE Plastics, Greater China. In 1997, Arnold was once again promoted to corporate vice president and president of GE Appliances, Asia, where he remained until 1999 when he became the leader of General Electric Lighting Services Ltd. Arnold left General Electric in 2000 to become the senior vice president and group executive of Fluid Power Group at Eaton Corporation. In 2009, he rose to the positions of vice chairman and chief operating officer of the industrial sector of Eaton. In addition to being COO, Arnold became president and a member of the Eaton Board of Directors in 2015. In 2016, he was selected to become chief executive officer of Eaton in addition to being president and chairman of the board. In 2024, Arnold was one of six African American CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. As CEO, Arnold shifted the focus of the company to power management and energy efficiency. He also changed the mission of Eaton to improve quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and solutions. At Eaton, Arnold advocated for inclusion and equity in business and society and to eliminate the digital divide between impoverished individuals and digital resources.

Arnold held memberships in various business organizations, including the Business Roundtable (BRT). He led the BRT’s Special Committee for Racial Equity and Justice and co-chaired the BRT Second Chance Business Coalition. Arnold was also a board member of social services organizations such as the Salvation Army of Greater Cleveland and United Way of Greater Cleveland. Arnold received the Diversity Center of Cleveland’s “Humanitarian Award” in 2021.

Arnold has four adult children – one son and three daughters. He has three grandchildren and resides in Beachwood, Ohio.

Craig Arnold was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on August 13, 2024.