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Textron Aviation names 29-year company veteran Brian Rohloff CEO

Brian Rohloff has become president and CEO of Textron Aviation, succeeding longtime chief Ron Draper. Rohloff has spent 29 years at the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer and most recently led customer support, bringing deep operational and customer-facing experience to the company’s top role.

2026-08-31T12:50:56.196035-07:00

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Textron Aviation names 29-year company veteran Brian Rohloff CEO

Brian Rohloff has become president and CEO of Textron Aviation, succeeding longtime chief Ron Draper. Rohloff has spent 29 years at the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer and most recently led customer support, bringing deep operational and customer-facing experience to the company’s top role.

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NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham Announces Retirement After Four Years on Board

Michael Graham, a former F/A-18 pilot and Textron Aviation safety chief who has served on the National Transportation Safety Board since 2020, is retiring from the agency. His departure will create a leadership transition at the federal body responsible for investigating aviation accidents and issuing safety recommendations.

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Reuters

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Icahn Ends JetBlue Board Representation as Activist Investor Cuts Stake

JetBlue said Carl Icahn-linked directors Jesse Lynn and Steven Miller have resigned under a 2024 board agreement tied to Icahn’s ownership stake. Their departures follow the activist investor’s sharp reduction in his JetBlue holding, ending his board representation after he had identified the airline as an attractive investment opportunity.

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ZeroAvia appoints former TAP chief Christine Ourmières-Widener as CEO

ZeroAvia has appointed former Flybe, TAP Air Portugal and CityJet chief executive Christine Ourmières-Widener as CEO with immediate effect. She succeeds founder Val Miftakhov, who departed in May, and will lead the hydrogen-electric propulsion developer through certification and commercialization while retaining her role as board chair.

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stateaviationjournal.com

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Textron Aviation names Brian Rohloff CEO as Ron Draper retires ahead of planned restructuring

Brian Rohloff will succeed Ron Draper as Textron Aviation president and CEO on Aug. 31, 2026. Draper, who has led the Cessna and Beechcraft maker for eight years and spent more than 27 years at Textron, will remain through year-end to support the transition as Textron pursues a pure-play aerospace and defense structure.

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Oman Air and SalamAir appoint new CEOs on the same day

Oman’s two major airlines, Oman Air and SalamAir, have appointed new chief executives. The leadership changes affect both of the country’s principal carriers and could shape their respective operational, commercial and fleet strategies as Oman’s aviation sector evolves.

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Hype's Leadership section provides a curated selection of news and in-depth analysis on the trailblazers and decision-makers in the aviation, defense, and space industries. This collection includes detailed coverage of leadership changes, executive appointments, and the strategic directions set by the industry's top figures, offering a clear view of the personalities driving aerospace innovation and corporate dynamics.