John Schleiter has been appointed vice president, legal and business affairs, North America, for Uponor North America.

As the North American organization’s chief in-house counsel and key member of the senior management team, he will direct the management of legal affairs for the organization and provide strategic leadership on business matters to promote and protect the interests of the company, its customers and the industry.

Schleiter is no stranger to Uponor, having spent more than a decade serving as outside counsel for the company, during which time he worked closely with members of the marketing and sales teams and advised Uponor senior management on various issues and decisions.

“John’s familiarity with our business makes him a natural choice to take on this new role,” says Bill Gray, president, Uponor North America. “He has an intimate knowledge of Uponor’s product offerings, mission and approach, both locally and globally. Bringing his expertise in-house will be an invaluable asset as we continue to grow our organization.”

During his 22-year law career, Schleiter has represented market-leading companies in energy, technology, construction and manufacturing. He has consulted companies on mergers and acquisitions as well as managed the legal integration of more than 30 Nordic-based companies into the U.S. marketplace.

“Having had the good fortune to work with Uponor for many years, I am delighted to join the company in a full-time capacity,” Schleiter says. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the company by directly assisting with its continued growth and financial prosperity.”

Previously, Schleiter was an owner of the law firm Grotefeld, Hoffmann, Schleiter, Gordon, Ochoa & Evinger. During his eight years there, he helped develop the firm’s national presence and expand its international client base.

Prior to that role, Schleiter was a partner at Fisher Kanaris, P.C., where he served on the board of directors, counseling domestic and international companies in commercial, insurance and defense litigation.

Schleiter earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and completed his undergraduate work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Along with his wife and two children, he is the founder of a charity that recycles bicycles to benefit inner-city youth in Chicago.