James E. Sweetnam is chief executive officer – Truck Group, Eaton Corporation.
 
He also serves as a member of the corporation's Office of the Chief Operating Officer, and in that capacity has responsibility for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as environmental, health and safety for the company.

Sweetnam assumed his current position in July 2001, after serving as operations vice president – Heavy-Duty Transmission, Clutch and Aftermarket Operations for Eaton's Truck Group beginning in January 2000. 

He joined Eaton in 1997 as vice president and general manager for the Truck Group’s Heavy-Duty Transmission Division. 

From 1993 to 1997, Sweetnam was vice president at Cummins Engine Company and group managing director for Holset Engineering Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Cummins. He served as president of Cummins Electronics from 1989 to 1993 and as executive director, Drivetrains, for Cummins Engine from 1988 to 1989.

Earlier in his career, he held management positions with Canadian Liquid Air and engineering positions with Air Products and Chemicals. 

Sweetnam currently is a board member of Lubrizol Corporation in Wickliffe, Ohio, and also serves on the board of trustees for ideastream, a public service multiple-media organization in Cleveland, Ohio.

Sweetnam received a Bachelor  of Science in applied science  and engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard.