The Mobile Register

The new boss at EADS North America is a veteran political player who should bolster Mobile's efforts to land a piece of the U.S. Air Force tanker contract.

Sean O'Keefe was introduced Tuesday as the next man to lead the company's U.S. operations. He replaces Ralph Crosby , who served as chairman and chief executive for the past seven years.

But Crosby isn't going anywhere. He'll retain his job as chairman and, in a move applauded by Alabama political leaders, will retain oversight of the tanker competition for EADS.

Crosby has built strong ties in Mobile since picking the city for a planned $600 million assembly plant to build tankers for the Air Force. He also led the negotiations that brought in Northrop Grumman Corp. as prime contractor on the tanker team.

"No one is more experienced when it comes to the tanker, and Ralph will be invaluable in working with Northrop Grumman to help us win the contract," said Louis Gallois , the global chairman and chief executive of EADS.

Reinforcement

Gallois described the leadership change as a "reinforcement" of the EADS executive team in the U.S., saying O'Keefe will only enhance the company's efforts to expand on American soil.

O'Keefe brings deep experience in Washington, D.C., where he has spent much of the past three decades. His mercurial career includes stints as NASA administrator, Navy secretary, White House budget adviser and key staff positions with the Department of Defense and Senate Appropriations Committee.

His Beltway connections should help EADS cut through political opposition to the company's foreign pedigree, analysts said.

"If he can help get EADS even a portion of the tanker contract, he'll have more than paid for his salary," said

Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va. "That has to be his top priority."

Getting to work O'Keefe, a former top lobbyist for GE Aviation, wasn't wasting time Tuesday. Immediately after his introduction to reporters, he joined Crosby and Gallois for a series of meetings on Capitol Hill. Among their first stops: the offices of U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner , R-Mobile, and U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions , R-Mobile.

The two politicians said they've known O'Keefe since his tenure at NASA, when he was a frequent visitor to the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

O'Keefe has long been active in Republican politics, serving in both the first and second Bush administrations. He caught heat in 2002 when, as NASA administrator, he flew to Huntsville to endorse Republican Bob Riley as a candidate for governor.

"There's no question he is an enhancement to the team, and we're glad he's on board," Bonner said Tuesday. "I don't know that you could write a better résumé for the job."

Sessions said he was encouraged that Gallois, Crosby and O'Keefe emphasized the importance of the tanker contest to the company's future.

"Their leadership will be a great asset to EADS and the Mobile community, and I look forward to working with them as we move forward together," Sessions said.