The TJX Companies Inc. elected William H. Swanson to its board of directors.

Swanson, 65, is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Raytheon Company, a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. He was Raytheon’s Chairman and CEO from January 2004 to March 2014, and Chairman until he retired in September 2014, after a 42-year career with the company. During Swanson’s tenure, he held a wide range of leadership positions, including setting strategy and managing operations for Raytheon’s global business.

“Bill brings extensive experience in leading a global Fortune 200 company,” Ben Cammarata, Chairman of the Board of The TJX Companies, Inc. “We see his deep international knowledge as a complement to our Board as we continue to pursue our successful growth as a global, value retailer. On behalf of our Board, we are looking forward to working with Bill as we move toward becoming a $40 billion company and beyond.”

The TJX Companies, Inc. is a leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the United States and worldwide. As of Nov. 1, 2014, the end of the Company’s third quarter, the Company operated a total of 3,385 stores in six countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Poland, and three e-commerce sites. These include 1,113 T.J. Maxx, 973 Marshalls, 485 HomeGoods and 6 Sierra Trading Post stores, as well as tjmaxx.com and sierratradingpost.com, in the United States; 234 Winners, 96 HomeSense, and 38 Marshalls stores in Canada; and 407 T.K. Maxx and 33 HomeSense stores, as well as tkmaxx.com, in Europe. TJX’s press releases and financial information are also available at tjx.com