UPDATE 2-United Tech taps Chenevert as David retires

* Louis Chenevert to be chairman of United Technologies

* Current chairman George David to retire at year end

* No big management team changes promised

* Chenevert says 2010 will be "another difficult year"

(Adds details from conference call, background.)

CHICAGO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - United Technologies Corp (UTX.N) said on Wednesday that Louis Chenevert, its current president and chief executive, will assume the additional title of chairman, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

Chenevert, 52, will succeed George David, 67, who is retiring after 34 years with United Tech, the world's largest maker of elevators and air conditioners.

The transition, three years in the making, comes as the Hartford, Connecticut-based company, which also manufactures jet engines and helicopters, is facing slumps in two key end markets: commercial construction and aviation.

David and Chenevert told reporters on a conference call they do not anticipate major changes in United Tech's top management team following the hand over.

"Too often, when you have leadership changes, you have a rotation of management," David said. "I certainly believe, and Louis does as well, that organizations this big run on momentum. And that takes constant energy in substantially the same direction."

As part of the transition, United Tech earlier named Ari Bousbib as president of its commercial companies and Gregory Hayes as its chief finance officer.

Chenevert said United Tech expects the economy to remain rough for at least the next year.

"2010 is going to be another difficult year and again we have positioned the company to resume earnings growth based on what we control," Chenevert told reporters.

"We're not counting on a lot of change in the economy."

United Tech's competitors include Eurocopter, a unit of EADS (EAD.PA), in helicopters, General Electric Co (GE.N) in jet engines and ThyssenKrupp AG (TKAG.DE) in elevators.

Word of the hand over caps what has been a busy year for David.

This summer, he and Swedish countess Marie Douglas-David reached a settlement in their nearly two-year-long divorce battle.

The breakup became tabloid fodder for New York and Connecticut newspapers thanks to scintillating details of infidelity and luxurious spending.

David wed Douglas-David, 30 years his junior, in 2002. They filed for divorce in 2007, but the two disagreed over the value of a stock portfolio promised to Douglas-David in a 2005 post-nuptial agreement.

Douglas-David had sought $100 million, but settled for a $42.5 million stock-heavy investment portfolio, another $6.5 million and some personal property.

David became CEO of United Tech in 1994. He handed those reins to Chenevert last year. (Reporting by James Kelleher; additional reporting by Scott Malone in Niskayuna, New York; editing by Andre Grenon)