Former military official named to board

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Alenia North America, based in Washington, announced the appointment of a former top U.S. military official as chairman of its board of directors.

Alenia North America is a subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica and part of the Italian-based Finmeccanica Group. The company announced Edmund Giambastiani, Jr., retired Navy admiral and former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as chairman of its board of directors.

"Finmeccanica is honored to have Admiral Giambastiani join Alenia North America's board of directors," Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Finmeccanica chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "His leadership and experience provides a unique perspective that I am hopeful will help our group continue to expand in the United States, which is a strategic market of importance to Finmeccanica."

Officials say Giambastiani was appointed to the post to work on the company's strategic planning and further expansion of commercial and military aircraft developer Alenia Group's industrial and commercial presence in North America.