August 11, 2017 - Caterpillar announced Thursday that Kelly Ayotte has been selected to join its board of directors and, within the board, the Public Policy & Governance Committee.

Ayotte is a former US senator representing New Hampshire from 2011 to 2017. She also served as New Hampshire's first female attorney general from 2004 to 2009 and, prior to that, she was deputy attorney general and chief of the Homicide Prosecution Unit in the same state.

According to CAT’s press release, as a member of the Senate’s Commerce Committee, Ayotte played a key role advocating for policies and laws to support skills training for high-tech manufacturing jobs and private-sector job creation.

The 49-year-old Republican was also actively engaged in efforts to extend the Export-Import Bank, with the idea of supporting U.S. companies as they compete and export products around the world.

"Kelly brings significant government experience to our board, which will be helpful for Caterpillar as we address a wide range of public policy issues," CEO Jim Umpleby wrote in the company’s statement.

The former public servant’s appointment comes into effect immediately.

Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire speaking at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.