Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar Inc. last week announced that Ambassador Susan Schwab, U.S. trade representative from 2006 to 2009, has been elected to the company’s board of directors. Schwab will begin as a Caterpillar board member in June.

Schwab is currently a professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. She served from 1995 to 2003 as dean of the school and was then president of the University System of Maryland Foundation prior to joining the Bush administration in 2005.

Schwab has a distinguished public service career. In addition to serving as the top trade representative for the United States, she previously was the director-general of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, was a trade policy officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, and was a senior aide to former U.S. Senator John Danforth. Schwab also worked in the private sector as director of business development for Motorola in Schaumburg, Ill.

“We’re fortunate Ambassador Schwab has agreed to join our board,” said Caterpillar chairman and CEO Jim Owens. “She brings an unequalled depth of knowledge, insight and experience on international trade issues that will be an ideal fit for Caterpillar’s global business model and our long-standing support of open trade. I am certain Team Caterpillar will benefit from her thoughtful guidance as we manage through these challenging economic times.”

Caterpillar is a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.