By THOMAS CONTENT

Johnson Controls Inc. announced a management change Thursday aimed at speeding the development of the U.S. hybrid battery industry.

Wisconsin's largest company appointed the chief executive of its hybrid battery joint venture, MaryAnn Wright, to lead what it's calling a new business accelerator group.

Wright had been been CEO of Johnson Controls-Saft Power Solutions. JC-Saft is a joint venture between Johnson Controls and the French battery technology developer Saft.

Wright will become vice president and managing director, leading the company's work to fulfill commitments outlined to the U.S. Department of Energy under a $299 million stimulus grant.

Although Wright is moving from a CEO role to a vice president role, that is not a demotion, said Alex Molinaroli, president of power solutions, because of the role Wright will have leading the business accelerator group.

"This is about our ability to capitalize on what we see as an opportunity," he said. The stimulus grant and the attendant work needed to be done "is forcing disruptive change internally, in a very positive way."

Replacing Wright as chief executive of the joint venture will be Ray Shemanski, a 21-year company employee. Shemanski will oversee daily operations of the joint venture, with a focus on boosting business opportunities by tying the hybrid business in with the company's global operations. He worked for the company's Michigan- based automotive seating and interiors business until being named a power solutions vice president in January.

The stimulus grant won by Wright's team was the largest awarded by the Obama administration in its bid to help the auto industry transform to building vehicles that pollute less and use less petroleum.

Molinaroli said the management changes are designed to help Johnson Controls and the U.S. auto industry move quickly to build more plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

"The reason why we were the largest wasn't just because we wanted to build a factory," he said. "We said that we would help the United States government build an industry."

That includes work to set up a domestic supply chain for hybrid batteries and electrical components, now sourced from overseas by automakers, as well as help build a business model and support the research required to help the industry be sustainable, he said.

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