Complex sentence: He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group, Executive Vice-President, President and Chief Operating Officer, and finally Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1977 for the next five years.
Split into simpler sentences: He was promoted to Director of Manufacturing, Vice-President of Manufacturing, Vice-President of the Product (Engineering) Group, Executive Vice-President, as well as to President and Chief Operating Officer. He finally rose to be the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1977, and served in that capacity for the next five years.