Washington – Business Roundtable today announced that Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caterpillar Inc., has been named Chairman. He will serve a two-year term from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017.

Oberhelman joined Business Roundtable in 2010. He will succeed Randall Stephenson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Inc., after the completion of Stephenson’s two-year term.

“Doug is an outstanding global business leader and a leading advocate for promoting jobs, innovation and economic growth in the United States,” Stephenson said. “Doug’s leadership at Business Roundtable has helped secure congressional approval of trade agreements and has encouraged public investment in America’s infrastructure. He has a record of driving cooperation between government and industry, and the Roundtable is well-positioned moving forward with Doug at the helm.

“I am grateful to have worked with America’s top business leaders, President Obama and members of the House and Senate leadership from both parties over these past two years to advance pro-growth policies in America,” Stephenson said. “I look forward to working with Doug and all the other member CEOs to foster a more competitive, productive and prosperous future for the United States.”

Oberhelman assumes leadership of Business Roundtable at a pivotal moment for the U.S. economy. Among the key priorities identified in the Business Roundtable economic growth agenda are expanding U.S. trade, adopting a smarter approach to regulation and enacting pro-growth tax reform.

“We need to get the U.S. economy firing on all cylinders,” Oberhelman said. “This is a crucial time for action on pro-growth policies. Success requires working together with the Administration, Congress and the business community on concrete steps to move our economy forward and reignite America as a job-creating machine. I look forward to working with my peers at Business Roundtable to advocate and get this done.

“Randall Stephenson has done a great job leading Business Roundtable,” Oberhelman added. “Following him is no small task. I will be honored to serve as Chairman and continue the extraordinary progress Randall helped achieve.”

Oberhelman became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caterpillar Inc. in 2010. He has since led Caterpillar through accelerated business cycles, implementing multiple measures to improve global manufacturing and operations. He has also led Caterpillar to renew its focus on customers and reinforced its dedication to quality, sustainability and innovation. His full biography is available here and a high-resolution photo can be downloaded here.

Caterpillar Inc. was an early member of Business Roundtable, joining the organization in 1974.