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Ray O’Connor, president and chief executive of Topcon Positioning Systems has been selected to become an executive officer of Topcon Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. He is the first person of non-Japanese descent and the youngest person ever to be appointed to the position.

O’Connor is also chairman of Topcon Europe Positioning Business and sits on the board of Topcon America Corporation and Topcon Europe BV.

O’Connor has also been recognised by Japanese corporation Toshiba. In 2006, on the 130th anniversary of its founding, O’Connor received the company’s Business Performance Award. He was also the first person of non-Japanese descent to receive this award.

O’Connor has led Topcon through a period of aggressive expansion beginning in 1995 with the purchase of California-based Advanced Grade Technology. In 2000, Topcon acquired another California-based company, JPS Inc., a provider of GPS and GPS/GLONASS products.

In 2006, Topcon purchased the Australian-based precision agricultural company, KEE Technologies. In February of this year, Topcon announced the combination with Japanese company Sokkia, which also produces precision measuring systems for surveying, GIS, and construction applications.

The appointment of O’Connor will be presented at the shareholders’ meeting 27 June in Tokyo.

ASM Newsletter is distributed by e-mail every two weeks. It reports on events in the spatial industry in Asia and events outside the region which will impact on Asia.