Luria appointed to BAE board

Former congresswoman and retired Navy Cmdr. Elaine Luria has been appointed to BAE Systems' board of directors, the company announced on Wednesday.

Luria, a two-term Democratic representative from Virginia, had served as vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee and a member of the Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security committees. In her quest for re-election, she was defeated by Republican challenger Jen Kiggans in last November’s midterm elections.

Luria spent 20 years on active duty in the Navy, which included serving as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer, according to a press release from BAE. It included six deployments to the Middle East and Western Pacific.

Kelly Ayotte, chair of BAE’s board and a former Republican U.S. senator from New Hampshire, said in a statement Wednesday that Luria’s “knowledge of national security and our industry is rooted in decades of experience serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy, as well as her time serving in Congress.”

“We are fortunate to have her leadership to help position our company for the future,” Ayotte said.