Raytheon has named Catherine H. Blades vice president for communications and public affairs at its Space and Airborne Systems business. Blades came to Raytheon from Lockheed Martin where she was director of marketing and international communications for a $12 billion aeronautics business.

Overseeing an extensive network of public relations firms, she led communications initiatives to identify and create opportunities to support capture, keep-sold and market-development activities in 40 countries.

She also created and placed domestic and international advertising, served as managing editor of customer publications, guided trade show activities, and directed marketing research and branding.

Before joining Lockheed Martin, she was director of public relations and senior communications counsel for Neill Corp., a leading distributor of Aveda beauty products, and manager of media and community relations for Stewart Enterprises, Inc., an international publicly-held company.

Earlier in her career she served by gubernatorial appointment as executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board.

In that role, she managed a staff of appointees and civil servants and a 17-member board representing a diverse cross-section of industry and community leaders. She also oversaw public and media relations, environmental and government affairs, and the internal and external communications functions.

In addition, she has worked in print and broadcast journalism. A native of New Orleans, she earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications at the University of Southwestern Louisiana and is a Loyola University Environmental Communications Fellow.