The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the leading U.S. aerospace and defense trade association, has appointed Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake to its Executive Committee for 2019. Ms. Drake was named during AIA’s Nov. 30 Board of Governors Meeting.
 
AIA is the most authoritative and influential trade association representing the U.S. aerospace and defense industry. As the voice of American aerospace and defense, AIA’s strong advocacy is essential to protecting and advancing the interests of our nation and our industry.
 
“AIA remains the premiere voice for our nation’s aerospace and defense industries, at a moment of historic opportunity,” said Ms. Drake. “I am deeply honored to be selected to serve on AIA’s Executive Committee and look forward to working closely with AIA’s leadership team to foster growth and innovation in the U.S. aerospace and defense sector.”
 
Today, nearly 340 major aerospace and defense companies and their suppliers are members of the association, embodying every high-technology manufacturing segment of the U.S. aerospace and defense industry, including commercial aviation and avionics, manned and unmanned defense systems, and space technologies and satellite communications.
 
“We’re pleased to welcome Eileen Drake to our Executive Committee. Eileen is a dynamic leader, and we look forward to her insight and contributions in advancing our ambitious agenda for 2019,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning.
 
AIA is led by a Board of Governors and an Executive Committee. A hallmark of AIA is that it receives its policy guidance from the direct involvement of CEO-level officers of member companies. The government frequently seeks advice from AIA on issues, and AIA provides a forum for government and industry representatives to exchange views and resolve problems on non-competitive matters related to aerospace and defense.
 
“AIA will move into 2019 with strong leadership, an ambitious advocacy agenda, and creative new initiatives,” said Mr. Fanning. “We look forward to using our 100th anniversary to energize AIA’s advocacy and share our industry’s vision of the innovative and life-changing advancements to come.”
 
Ms. Drake joins 24 leaders of aerospace companies on the 2019 Executive Committee, who will drive association policy guidance on matters impacting the aerospace and defense industry, to include the federal budget, a healthy industrial base, defense modernization, and an efficient federal acquisition system.
 
Ms. Drake also serves on the AIA Board of Governors and Finance Committee and the Woodward, Inc. Board of Directors, where she is a member of the Audit Committee.
 
About Aerojet Rocketdyne: Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AJRD), is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion systems and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, and tactical systems areas, in support of domestic and international customers. For more information, visit www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com. Follow Aerojet Rocketdyne and CEO Eileen Drake on Twitter at @AerojetRdyne and @DrakeEileen.