ITT Information Systems

ITT Inc.
Company type	Public
Industry	Manufacturing
Founded	1920; 106 years ago
Founder	Hernan Behn, Sosthenes Behn
Headquarters	Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Area served	Worldwide (over 100 countries)
Products	Advanced components for aerospace, transportation, energy, and industrial sectors; brands include Goulds Pumps, Cannon connectors, KONI shock absorbers, Enidine energy absorption solutions
Number of employees	10,000+
Website	www.itt.com

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article ITT Information Systems, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 2025

ITT Inc., previously known as ITT Corporation, is a multinational manufacturing enterprise based in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. It specializes in producing advanced components for the aerospace, transportation, energy, and industrial sectors. The company’s operations are organized into three primary divisions: Industrial Process, Motion Technologies, and Connect and Control Technologies.

Employing more than 10,000 individuals across upwards of 35 countries, ITT provides products and services to clients in over 100 nations worldwide. Its portfolio includes well-known brands such as Goulds Pumps, Cannon connectors, KONI shock absorbers, and Enidine energy absorption solutions.

Established in 1920 under the name International Telephone & Telegraph, ITT evolved into a significant conglomerate during the 1960s and 1970s under the leadership of CEO Harold Geneen, expanding through a series of acquisitions spanning various industries.

The company exited the telecommunications sector by divesting those assets in 1986 and subsequently sold its hospitality holdings, including Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, in 1995. In 1996, the current corporate structure was formed as ITT Industries, Inc., which was rebranded as ITT Corporation in 2006.

In 2011, ITT separated its defense division into Exelis (now part of L3Harris Technologies) and spun off its water technology business as Xylem Inc.. The organization adopted the name ITT Inc. in 2016.

Founding and initial growth

International Telephone & Telegraph (ITT) was founded in 1920 by brothers Hernan Behn and Colonel Sosthenes Behn, building upon their earlier acquisitions from 1914 of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company, Cuban-American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and a controlling interest in the Cuban Telephone Company. ITT's first significant expansion occurred in 1923 when it consolidated several Spanish telecommunications providers into what became Telefónica. From 1922 to 1925, ITT acquired multiple European telephone companies.

In 1925, following the Bell System’s divestiture of international operations, ITT purchased several entities from Western Electric, including the Belgian-based Bell Telephone Manufacturing Company (BTM), known for manufacturing rotary switching equipment, and British firm International Western Electric, later renamed Standard Telephones and Cables (STC). BTM was ultimately acquired by Compagnie Générale d'Electricité, while STC was taken over by Nortel.

Throughout the 1930s, ITT expanded its footprint by acquiring German electronics companies Standard Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft (SEG) and Mix & Genest, both with international operations, as well as Romania’s telecommunications monopoly Societatea Anonima Română de Telefoane. Its primary competitor during this period was Theodore Gary & Company, which operated Associated Telephone and Telegraph along with European manufacturing facilities.

Within the United States, ITT consolidated control over the Mackay Companies in 1928 via its subsidiary Postal Telegraph & Cable. This acquisition encompassed the Commercial Cable Company, Commercial Pacific Cable Company, Postal Telegraph, and the Federal Telegraph Company.

German subsidiaries during the Nazi era

On August 3, 1933, Adolf Hitler held a meeting with Sosthenes Behn, who was then the CEO of ITT, accompanied by his German agent Henry Mann. This encounter was among Hitler's earliest engagements with American business leaders.

In his work Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler, Antony C. Sutton claims that ITT’s German branches made monetary contributions to SS chief Heinrich Himmler. ITT, via its subsidiary C. Lorenz AG, owned a 25% stake in Focke-Wulf, a major German aircraft manufacturer responsible for producing prominent Luftwaffe fighter planes. During the 1960s, ITT received $27 million in reparations for damage inflicted on its Focke-Wulf facility by Allied bombing raids in World War II. Sutton also discloses that ITT held shares in Signalbau AG, Dr. Erich F. Huth (Signalbau Huth), a producer of radar systems and transceivers for the German Wehrmacht based in Berlin and Hanover (later integrated into Telefunken). While ITT-Focke-Wulf aircraft engaged Allied naval targets, ITT’s direction-finding devices were reportedly employed to shield other vessels from torpedo attacks. Documentation of payments to Himmler emerged during a 1946 US military banking inquiry.

By 1943, ITT had become the largest shareholder of Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau GmbH, holding 29%, overtaking Kaffee HAG’s 27% share following the death of its leader Dr. Ludwig Roselius. Records from OMGUS after the war suggest that the exact involvement of the HAG conglomerate throughout WWII is still not fully understood.

Acquisitions after World War II

In 1951, ITT entered the television industry by acquiring Philo Farnsworth's television company. Farnsworth was concurrently working on developing the Fusor fusion reactor, which received ITT funding until 1967. That same year, ITT bought a controlling interest in the Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company, an early innovator in telephone switchboard technology; it completed full ownership in 1952 and rebranded it as ITT Kellogg. Following the integration of Federal Telephone and Radio Corporation into ITT Kellogg and consolidation of manufacturing operations, the entity was renamed ITT Telecommunications, before eventually reverting to ITT Kellogg.

Among its significant subsidiaries was the American Cable and Radio Corporation, which managed transatlantic cable operations for the Commercial Cable Company. Additionally, ITT acquired John J. Nesbitt Inc., a Philadelphia-based manufacturer specializing in heating and air-conditioning systems. In 1968, ITT expanded into residential construction by purchasing homebuilder Levitt & Sons for roughly $90 million. The acquisition of KONI Group in 1972, known for shock absorber production, further broadened ITT’s automotive component offerings.

Global telecommunications operations

ITT's global telecommunications network included subsidiaries such as Standard Telephones and Cables operating in both the UK and Australia; Indosat in Indonesia; Germany’s Standard Elektrik Lorenz (now part of Nokia) and Intermetall Gesellschaft für Metallurgie und Elektronik mbH (acquired from Clevite in 1965 and currently part of TDK-Micronas); Belgium’s BTM; along with CGCT and LMT based in France. These companies manufactured equipment derived from ITT designs like the Pentaconta crossbar switch introduced in the 1960s and Metaconta stored program control exchanges developed during the 1970s, primarily serving national telephone administrations. Production under license also took place in countries including Poland and Yugoslavia. At one point, ITT was the largest shareholder of Sweden’s LM Ericsson, divesting its stake by 1960.

Significantly, ITT employee Alec Reeves pioneered pulse-code modulation (PCM) technology during the 1930s, which laid the groundwork for digital voice transmission. Moreover, Charles K. Kao at STC initiated breakthroughs in optical fiber technology starting in 1966, achievements that earned him the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Appointment of Harold Geneen

In 1959, Harold Geneen assumed the role of CEO and utilized leveraged buyouts to elevate ITT's modest acquisitions from the 1950s into substantial expansion throughout the 1960s. In 1965, ITT sought to purchase the ABC television network for $700 million; however, federal antitrust authorities blocked the transaction due to concerns over ITT's growing size. To avoid antitrust complications while continuing growth, ITT redirected its acquisition strategy toward industries beyond telecommunications. Under Geneen’s leadership, ITT acquired more than 300 companies during the 1960s, including aggressive takeovers of prominent firms such as Sheraton, Continental Baking (producer of Wonder Bread), Rayonier, and Avis Rent-a-Car. The corporation also diversified into sectors like automotive parts, energy, publishing, semiconductors, and cosmetics. In 1966, ITT purchased Educational Services, Inc., which operated for-profit educational institutions later known as ITT/ESI. A 1970 bid to acquire The Hartford insurance company resulted in a lawsuit from the US Justice Department, compelling ITT to sell assets equivalent to Hartford’s holdings, including Avis.

During this decade, sales surged from approximately $700 million in 1960 to $8 billion by 1970, while profits increased from $29 million to $550 million. Nonetheless, growth decelerated in the late 1960s as rising interest rates diminished profitability.

In the late 1960s, ITT acquired British electronics firm Kolster-Brandes Limited, which was struggling with color television production. Initially, products in the UK bore the "ITT KB" brand before transitioning solely to ITT. By the end of the 1970s, ITT had established a significant foothold in the UK electrical market with offerings such as televisions, audio devices, and portable radios.

Expropriation in Brazil in 1962

In February 1962, during President João Goulart’s administration, Rio Grande do Sul Governor Leonel Brizola nationalized ITT’s Brazilian branch, Companhia Telefônica Nacional. This expropriation became a contentious political issue throughout Goulart’s presidency and heightened tensions between Brazil–United States relations. The governor’s unilateral action lacked endorsement from the Brazilian president and is viewed by some historians as contributing to US support for the 1964 Brazilian coup d'état.

Controversy at the 1972 Republican National Convention

ITT was implicated in controversy connected to the 1972 Republican National Convention. In May 1971, ITT president Geneen committed $400,000 to back San Diego’s bid to host the convention; however, only $100,000 was publicly acknowledged. The Republican National Committee selected San Diego as the venue in July 1971.

On February 29, 1972, columnist Jack Anderson disclosed an internal memorandum from ITT lobbyist Dita Beard addressed to VP Bill Merriam dated June 25, 1971. The document implied a link between ITT’s financial support and a favorable resolution of an ongoing United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division lawsuit. The resulting scandal led to a Senate investigation and potential criminal inquiries that compelled ITT to withdraw its backing. Coupled with logistical challenges related to venues and hotels, this caused the RNC to move its convention location to Miami. Special prosecutor Leon Jaworski conducted an investigation but found no proof of criminal wrongdoing by ITT.

Allegations from Nixon aides such as John Dean and Jeb Stuart Magruder suggested that the Watergate break-in was motivated by fears that the Democratic National Committee was negotiating similar arrangements for its own 1972 convention. This theory is supported by conversations between President Richard Nixon and chief of staff H. R. Haldeman, along with testimony from E. Howard Hunt, although it remains contested by other participants like G. Gordon Liddy.

Role in the 1973 Chilean Pinochet Coup

By 1970, ITT controlled 70% of CTC (the Chilean Telephone Company, now known as Movistar Chile) and had invested approximately $200 million in Chile. The corporation also provided financial support to El Mercurio, a conservative Chilean newspaper. Under the leadership of CEO Harold Geneen, ITT donated $350,000 to Jorge Alessandri, who opposed President Salvador Allende. Following Allende's election, ITT reportedly proposed offering the CIA $1 million to undermine his administration, although this proposal was rejected. Declassified U.S. intelligence records indicate that ITT financially backed groups opposing Allende who were preparing for a military coup. On September 28, 1973, the Weather Underground bombed an ITT office in New York City as retaliation for the company’s involvement in the coup.

Leadership Transition: Hamilton and Araskog

In March 1977, Lyman C. Hamilton assumed the role of CEO while Geneen remained chairman. By June 1979, Geneen discovered Hamilton’s intention to sell off ITT’s European consumer goods division and subsequently advocated for his removal. In July 1979, Rand Araskog succeeded Hamilton as CEO and soon orchestrated Geneen’s departure as chairman, though Geneen continued serving on the board for an additional four years.

Araskog spent nearly twenty years systematically dismantling much of ITT by divesting most of its assets.

Starting in 1977, ITT invested roughly US$1 billion into developing the ambitious digital telephone exchange known as System 1240 (later renamed System 12). As reported by Fortune in 1985, Araskog concentrated corporate resources on System 12, reallocating profits from profitable operations to fund its expensive development. Engineered at the Advanced Technology Center in Connecticut and produced by subsidiaries such as Belgium’s BTM, the system was first implemented in Brecht, Belgium, in 1982. Although early sales in Europe and Mexico were promising, integration setbacks led to additional financial losses. Despite efforts by ITT Telecommunications in Raleigh to promote U.S. adoption—announcing sales in 1984 and 1985—the initiative collapsed by early 1986.

ITT divested its telecommunications manufacturing businesses—including ITT Kellogg—to Alcatel Alsthom, a unit of Compagnie Générale d'Electricité (CGE), resulting in the formation of Alcatel N.V. (Netherlands) in 1986. This transaction positioned Alcatel as the world’s second-largest telecommunications firm at that time. Initially retaining a 37% ownership stake, ITT fully exited the telephone sector by selling its remaining 30% share by March 1992. In 2006, Alcatel Alsthom merged with Lucent to create Alcatel-Lucent.

ITT Educational Services, Inc. (ESI) was separated through an initial public offering in 1994, with ITT maintaining an 83% ownership stake. In September 2016, ESI announced it would close all 130 Technical Institutes across 38 states after students lost eligibility for federal financial aid. In March 1989, ITT combined its long-distance telephone division with Metromedia Long Distance to establish Metromedia-ITT, which was acquired by Long Distance Discount Services (LDDS) in 1993; LDDS later rebranded as WorldCom in 1995.

1995 Division

In 1995, led by Araskog, ITT was divided into three publicly traded entities:

ITT Corp. – In 1997, ITT Corp. merged with Starwood, which aimed to acquire Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. Subsequently, Starwood sold ITT World Directories to VNU. By 1999, ITT had completely exited ITT/ESI but continued to license the ITT Technical Institute brand until ESI ceased operations in 2016. Also in 1999, ITT Corp. adopted the Starwood name.
ITT Hartford – Currently operating as The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., it remains a prominent insurance company and has dropped the ITT designation.
ITT Industries – This division retained the ITT Industries name until 2006 and is a key player in manufacturing and defense contracting.
- On July 1, 2006, after shareholder approval, ITT Industries reverted its name back to ITT Corporation.

Legal Conviction

In March 2007, ITT Corporation became the first leading defense contractor convicted of criminal offenses under the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. The company was fined $100 million for unlawfully exporting night vision goggles and sensitive countermeasure technology to engineers located in Singapore, China, and the United Kingdom. Half of this penalty was designated for funding research and development of new night vision technologies, with any resulting intellectual property rights transferred to the U.S. government.

According to U.S. Attorney John L. Brownlee, the United States Department of Justice determined that ITT bypassed export regulations by creating a front company and obstructed the investigation in an attempt to delay proceedings beyond the statute of limitations.

Additional Acquisitions

On June 26, 2007, ITT announced its intention to acquire the privately owned International Motion Control (IMC) for $395 million, completing the transaction in September 2007. Later, on September 14, 2010, ITT closed its Cleveland facility.

On September 18, 2007, ITT agreed to purchase EDO Corporation for $1.7 billion; this acquisition was finalized on December 20, 2007 following shareholder consent.

On April 16, 2009, ITT entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Laing GmbH from Germany, a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient circulator pumps primarily used in residential and commercial plumbing and HVAC applications.

2011 Separation

On January 12, 2011, ITT revealed plans to divide into three independent publicly traded companies. The official names were announced on July 14, 2011:

The Industrial Process & Flow Control segment kept the name ITT Corporation.
- In 2016, ITT Corporation rebranded itself as ITT Inc.
The Water & Waste Water segment became Xylem Inc., trading under the symbol XYL.
The Defense segment was named Exelis Inc., with ticker XLS; Exelis was acquired by Harris Corporation in 2015.

Following the spin-off, shareholders were issued shares in all three companies.

Headquarters

In 1929, ITT's main office was located at 67 Broad Street in Manhattan, New York City. The building—originally constructed in 1928 as the Lefcourt Exchange Building—was purchased and expanded by ITT by 1930. During World War II, this site functioned as a communications center for American submarines operating in the Atlantic.

From 1961 until 1989, ITT's headquarters were situated at 320 Park Avenue in New York.

Before merging with Starwood, ITT's corporate offices were housed at 1330 Sixth Avenue in Manhattan—a structure initially owned by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), which ITT attempted to acquire in 1963. After ABC faced financial difficulties and relocated, the building was sold to a Japanese conglomerate that leased space back to ITT.

In 2022, ITT moved its global headquarters from White Plains, New York to Harbor Point in Stamford, Connecticut.

ITT Avionics

ITT Avionics, a branch of ITT Corporation located in Nutley, New Jersey, managed a 300-foot tall research tower established in 1947 for the advancement of microwave communication technologies. This research facility was decommissioned during the 1970s, and the tower was dismantled in April 1996 to facilitate the site's sale.

In October 1989, ITT Avionics was awarded a contract by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to manufacture an Airborne Self-Protection Jammer (ASPJ), in partnership with Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Both firms had previously collaborated with the U.S. government on the ASPJ project; however, the contract was later ended for convenience after the system did not pass independent operational test and evaluation (OPEVAL).

By 1991, ITT Avionics had secured a $19.6 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop the "intraflight data link," a tactical airborne communications system. Subsequently, in 2004, NAVAIR Weapons Division awarded them a $24.9 million contract to provide engineering software support services for the Tactical Aircraft Electronic Warfare Integrated Program Team based at Point Mugu and China Lake, California.

Consumer electronics

ITT manufactured consumer electronics under the ITT Schaub-Lorenz brand through its former subsidiary Schaub Elektrik Lorenz, offering products such as Touring radios and Ideal Color televisions equipped with Heliochrom picture tubes.

Certain television models incorporated the Ideal-Computer cartridge system, which supported ultrasonic remote controls, teletext decoders, and Tele-Match dedicated video game consoles (not to be confused with the "ITT Telematch Processor" console, which was a rebranded version of the Fairchild Channel F). This cartridge system was licensed to other German manufacturers.

The company also introduced the Digivision, recognized as the first television to apply digital signal processing technology for image enhancement.

Around this timeframe, ITT acquired control over English radio and TV manufacturer Kolster-Brandes, eventually fully integrating it.

Between 1986 and 1987, ITT's Telecommunications division—including Schaub-Lorenz and Kolster-Brandes—was transferred to Alcatel through the French firm CGE. In 1988, its consumer electronics segment was divested and sold to Nokia, which marketed certain items under the ITT Nokia label. Nokia ceased operations at its German television manufacturing plants in 1996, likely marking the end of ITT-branded products in that region.

Since 2006, Karcher corporation has held licensing rights to use the ITT brand and logo independently from the ITT group.

Federal Aviation Administration NextGen

In 2007, ITT obtained a $207 million contract from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to lead efforts in developing and deploying the Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) system. ADS-B serves as a cornerstone of the FAA's NextGen air traffic control modernization initiative, aimed at improving safety and operational efficiency amid increasing air traffic volumes. ITT is responsible for system integration and engineering tasks and, under contract extensions, will continue operating and maintaining the system through September 2025. The project team includes collaborators such as AT&T, Thales North America, SAIC, PricewaterhouseCoopers, among others.

GeoEye-1

On September 6, 2008, ITT supplied the imaging payload for the GeoEye-1 satellite, facilitating advanced high-resolution Earth observation. GeoEye-1 produces imagery with a panchromatic resolution of 0.41 meters (black and white) and a multispectral resolution of 1.65 meters (color), achieving geolocation precision within three meters. The satellite is capable of acquiring up to 700,000 square kilometers of panchromatic images each day.

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