Susan Hakkarainen, chair of the Board and chief executive officer of Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., has announced the promotion of Lutron president Edward J. Blair to vice-chairman of the Board. Blair will continue to serve as president of the company.
In his expanded role, Blair will represent executive leadership at the Board level, offering strategic insight and reinforcing the company’s long-term priorities. He will maintain responsibility for Lutron’s global operations, overseeing the achievement of key business objectives in sales, profitability, and financial performance. His promotion reflects Lutron’s continued commitment to innovation, sustainable growth, and an inspiring workplace culture.
With a clear vision for Lutron’s growth, Blair is an outstanding business leader with a track record of building successful businesses and fostering innovation. He excels at building results-oriented teams, inspires others to perform at their highest level, and fosters a culture of accountability and excellence.
Blair joined Lutron in 1996. His 29-year Lutron career has spanned numerous assignments and departments, including engineering, human resources, sales, and marketing. This experience prepared him for several senior leadership roles including vice-president and general manager of the Commercial Systems and Window Systems Business Units, senior vice-president of the Residential Systems Business Unit, and executive vice-president. He was promoted to president in 2019.
“I’m honored to assume the role of Vice-Chairman of the Board while continuing to serve as president of Lutron,” says Blair. “I look forward to working with our exceptional global teams to build on Lutron’s strong foundation of innovation, customer focus, and collaboration, and working with our Board and leadership team to shape the next chapter of Lutron’s growth and success.”
Throughout his career at Lutron, Blair identified key growth opportunities and clear strategies to pursue them. He championed innovation, built thriving businesses, and established new growth categories, laying the foundation for a stable and promising future for the company. Thanks to Blair’s strategic leadership and disciplined execution, Lutron has achieved multiple years of record-breaking sales.
- A prolific inventor with more than 100 U.S. patents spanning design, utility, and system development, Blair played a pivotal role in shaping many of Lutron’s core technologies — including wallbox controls, Palladiom controls and shades, battery-powered shading solutions, and system protocols. His inventive mindset and collaborative approach continue to drive innovation throughout the company.
- Blair expanded Lutron’s portfolio by transforming the motorized shades business into a dynamic and profitable growth category. He led the launch of Lutron’s first fabric collection, the Sivoia QS shading system, and a direct-to-consumer website. In 2025, these efforts culminated in the opening of the world’s largest motorized shade manufacturing facility in Ashland, Virginia.
- Recognizing the potential for a third major business category, Blair spearheaded the development of Intelligent Lighting Systems (ILS). He identified Ketra as a strategic acquisition and guided the integration of the two companies. By fostering strong relationships with incoming team members and mentoring leaders across both organizations, he helped establish a shared vision. Today, ILS represents a significant new avenue for growth at Lutron.
Blair received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (1996) and MBA (2002) from Lehigh University. An active member of his community, Blair passionately helps young people develop themselves through the benefits of sports and competition, and has coached youth league flag football, basketball, baseball, and softball. He currently serves on Lehigh University’s Dean’s Advisory Council and on the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Board of Directors. He and his wife, Christine, have three children.
For more information, visit Lutron.com.
