Former Air Force Secretary to join Textron board

Former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has been elected to the board of directors of Textron Aviation’s parent company.

James, who served as the 23rd Air Force Secretary under former President Obama, will begin her tenure as Textron Inc. director on July 1, the Providence, R.I.-based company announced Thursday.

Her appointment comes a few months before Wichita-based Textron Aviation submits its Scorpion tactical jet and Beechcraft AT-6 for an Air Force competition evaluating off-the-shelf military aircraft to augment its fleet of aging A-10 Warthogs.

James made a visit a little more than a year ago to McConnell Air Force Base in southeast Wichita.