One of Westbrook’s most notable businesses has announced a major change. Effective July 10, Marietta S. Lee will take over as president and CEO of the Lee Company. Current chairman William W. Lee will retire but remain chairman of the company’s Board of Directors.

You might not know it while driving through the idyllic small seaside towns of shoreline Connecticut, but several manufacturing companies call the area home. One such company is the Lee Company, the Westbrook-based company that makes miniature precision fluid control products used in a wide array of industries, from aerospace and defense to motorsports and medical equipment.

The company was founded in 1948 by Leighton Lee the II. According to a press release, “With over 1,100 employees, The Lee Company occupies over 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space in Westbrook and Essex, Connecticut.”

Seventy-five years later, the company is still a family business, albeit one with a new leader. Marietta Lee, the granddaughter of the founder, will take over as CEO and President from her uncle William.

Per a press release, “Since joining the company in 2001, [Marietta Lee] has served as assistant facilities manager, facilities manager, vice president of the restrictor group, vice president of the industrial microhydraulic group, executive vice president, and COO.” She will be the first female CEO and president in the company’s history.

“I’m honored and excited to be taking on this new role. I plan to continue our long tradition of steady, stable growth, expanding and improving our products, and serving markets all over the world.” Lee said in a statement.

While Marietta Lee is focused on taking over the lead of the company, her uncle will still be involved as the chairman of the Board of Directors. In a statement released by the company William Lee said, “This transition has been many years in the making, and I have complete confidence that Marietta is going to be a terrific leader of The Lee Company.”

Lee was named CEO and President of the company in 2010. During his tenure, the company grew both in terms of employees and in physical space with major expansion projects.