MAPLE GROVE, MN—Carl Zeiss announces the appointment of Michael Kirchner as the new president for the Industrial Metrology group in North America, effective January 1, 2013. Kirchner succeeds Greg Lee, who retired after more than 30 years. Prior to this role, Kirchner had successfully established a manufacturing operation for Carl Zeiss Shanghai Co. Ltd. where he was general manager for more than eight years.In 2012, he helped implement manufacturing in India.

Kirchner began his career with Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology as an intern in New York, where he first met his predecessor, Greg Lee. Working his way through the company, Kirchner has held various management positions with increasing responsibility. These positions included product manager, regional sales manager, area sales manager, customer care manager and vice president of service in North America prior to his last role as general manager for manufacturing in China.