Textron Inc. has announced that Brian Rohloff will assume the role of president and CEO for its aviation division. The change in leadership is scheduled to take effect on August 31, 2026. Rohloff will replace Ron Draper, who is retiring after a tenure of more than 27 years with the company. Draper spent the final eight years of his career leading the aviation segment.
Rohloff brings nearly three decades of experience to the position, having worked at Textron Aviation for 29 years. His recent role was senior vice president of Customer Support, where he managed global operations for that department. Prior to that, he held several other leadership positions, including vice president of Quality and vice president of Sales.
He also served as a senior product director for the Citation XLS+ and Citation X models, as well as director of Paint Operations. Rohloff is a graduate of Wichita State University.
Lisa Atherton, the president and CEO of Textron Inc., commented on the appointment. She described Rohloff as a leader with a deep understanding of the company's products, customers, and industry. Atherton noted that Rohloff has demonstrated strong leadership across various functions and has established trusted relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers over his 29-year career.
Regarding the departure of his predecessor, Atherton expressed gratitude for Draper's contributions. She thanked him for his outstanding leadership and many contributions to Textron throughout his career. The company operates in several sectors, including aircraft, defense, industrial, and finance. Its portfolio of brands includes Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems.
