Scott McNealy joins GE board

One of the world’s longest established and largest high-tech companies, consumer electronics giant General Electric, announced it has appointed Sun Microsystems chairman Scott McNealy to its board of directors. Until now, McNealy has categorically refused offers to join any comany’s board of directors. But McNealy is a close personal friend and golf buddy of GE chairman and chief executive Jack Welch and accepted his friend’s recent invitation.

''The board and I could not be more excited that Scott has agreed to join us,'' said Welch. ''E-business is changing the way we at GE work and interact with our customers. What a perfect time to have Scott's vision, entrepreneurial passion and absolute candor available to our company.'' Four months ago, GE announced a major corporate effort to develop e-commerce as a major new source of revenues.