Textron Aviation has appointed a new CEO and President to start imminently after the current boss, Ron Draper, announced his plans to retire.
On August 24, 2026, Textron, the parent company of Textron Aviation, confirmed Brian Rohloff will assume the role of CEO from August 31, 2026.
According to the company, Rohloff’s previous roles at Textron Aviation include Vice President of Quality, Vice President of Sales and Senior Product Director for the Citation XLS+ and Citation X.
“Brian is a proven leader who brings a deep understanding of our business, our products, our customers and our industry,” Lisa Atherton, President and CEO of Textron, said. “Throughout his 29-year career with Textron Aviation, Brian has demonstrated strong leadership across multiple functions and has built trusted relationships with employees, customers and suppliers.”
Draper is retiring after more than 27 years with Textron, including the past eight years leading Textron Aviation.
“I want to thank Ron for his outstanding leadership and many contributions to Textron throughout his career,” Atherton said. “Under his guidance, Textron Aviation strengthened its position as an industry leader, expanded its product portfolio and fostered a culture centered on pride, quality and safety. We are grateful for his service and wish him the very best in retirement.”
Textron Aviation includes the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker aircraft brands, spanning business jets, turboprops, high-performance pistons, and special mission, military trainer, and defense products.