Former Defense Dept. exec joins AAR board

WOOD DALE - AAR said Friday that Ellen M. Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment for the U.S. Department of Defense, has been elected to the company's board of directors.

Lord, 61, served as the under secretary from August 2017 until January 2021. In this role, she was responsible for all matters pertaining to acquisition, developmental testing, contract administration, logistics and materiel readiness, installations and environment, operational energy; chemical, biological and nuclear weapons; the acquisition workforce, and the defense industrial base.

"Ellen brings significant aerospace and defense expertise as well strong leadership experience from her time as the President and CEO of Textron Systems and most recently as Under Secretary with the U.S. Department of Defense," said John M. Holmes, AAR president and chief executive officer. "Ellen will bring a valuable perspective to our board and our company."

AAR is a leading provider of aviation services, including aircraft maintenance and upkeep, to commercial and government operators.

Prior to her government service, Lord served as the president and chief executive officer of Textron Systems, where she led a multi-billion dollar company with products and services supporting defense, homeland security, aerospace and infrastructure protection.

Lord earned a master's degree in chemistry from the University of New Hampshire and her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Connecticut College. Lord currently is an independent aerospace, defense and industrial consultant.