Textron Aviation has named Brian Rohloff as president and chief executive, with the leadership change due to take effect on 31 August. Ron Draper will retire after eight years at the helm and remain as senior adviser through year-end to support the transition at the business aviation manufacturer headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
Rohloff currently serves as senior vice-president of customer support and will step into the top job after what the company described as a thoughtful succession process. His move places a customer support executive in charge of Textron Aviation at a time when continuity across production, aftermarket services and customer relations remains central to the sector’s commercial performance.
Draper has worked at Textron for more than 27 years and led Textron Aviation through a period that included the company’s continued role as Textron’s largest revenue sector. The handover is structured to avoid disruption, with Draper staying on through the end of the year while Rohloff takes responsibility for the next phase of the business.