Traust Structured Announces Erin Rooney as Managing Director, Strategic Growth & M&A Advisor

San Juan, PR, Sept. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Traust Structured expands its leadership Team as the company advances its aviation, aerospace and U.S. defense manufacturing platforms.

Traust Structured, LLC

Traust Structured is pleased to announce that Erin Rooney has joined the company as Managing Director, Strategic Growth & M&A Advisor and as a shareholder, bringing her extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategic advisory, business development and transaction execution to Traust’s growing portfolio of operating platforms.

In her role, Rooney will work alongside Traust’s leadership Team on strategic growth initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, capital strategy, strategic partnerships and the continued development of the company’s aviation and aerospace businesses.

Rooney’s initial focus will span two of Traust Structured’s key initiatives: Traust Aviation and Drone Campus.

Traust Aviation is being developed around the acquisition and expansion of an established Part 135 aviation operator with a nearly 50-year operating history, specializing in time-critical organ transportation. Traust’s strategy is to build on that operating foundation and expand the platform nationally, with additional hubs contemplated across the United States.

Drone Campus is Traust’s initiative to develop U.S.-based manufacturing capacity supporting defense drone programs. The platform is centered in Kerrville, Texas, and is designed to bring together complementary manufacturing capabilities required by drone prime contractors.

“Erin brings a rare combination of transaction experience, relationship-driven business development and an extraordinary ability to move complex opportunities from concept to execution,” said Drew Holt, Chairman of the Board of Traust Structured. “She understands how to build value, but equally important, she understands that the right partnerships and the right people are what make that value sustainable. Having Erin join Traust not only as a member of our leadership Team , but as a shareholder, demonstrates the alignment we want as we build the Next chapter of this company.”

“I couldn’t be more proud to have Erin on our side,” said Ed Marin of Traust Structured. “She brings a mission-first mentality, tenacity and the ability to execute under pressure. She identifies the objective, builds the right Team and drives the work forward until the job is done. She’s our Velvet Hammer: strategic, disciplined and relentless, the person you need in your corner when failure isn’t an Option .”

Rooney has spent much of her career advising business owners, investors and strategic partners through complex transactions and periods of significant growth. Her M&A experience spans multiple industries, with a particular concentration in highly fragmented sectors where strategic consolidation, operational scale and access to capital can materially transform enterprise value.

As both an executive and shareholder, Rooney will bring an owner’s perspective to Traust’s growth strategy, with an emphasis on disciplined execution, long-term value creation and identifying opportunities where Traust can provide more than capital alone.

“I have spent my career looking for opportunities where exceptional people, strong underlying businesses and the right capital can create something significantly larger,” said Rooney. “Traust represents exactly that. What drew me here was not one transaction or one platform; it was the opportunity to help build an organization across sectors that have real purpose and real-world impact. From strengthening domestic aerospace and defense manufacturing capabilities to expanding aviation infrastructure supporting time-critical medical transportation, these are businesses where execution matters. Becoming a shareholder was important to me because I want my interests aligned with the company, our partners and what we are building for the long term.”

James Shrewsbury, who has been closely involved with the development of the Traust Drone Campus and was instrumental in bringing Rooney into the opportunity, added: “Erin is exactly the kind of person you want on the ground when you’re building something at this scale. She comes in, learns the terrain fast, asks the right questions and then goes to work. She has the grit of an operator and the instincts of a dealmaker, and she’s not afraid to get her boots dirty. I brought her into this because I knew she wouldn’t stand on the sidelines. She’d get in the fight with us. She’s tough, and when Erin commits to something, you’d better believe she intends to finish it.”

Traust Structured’s strategy combines investment, acquisition and operational development to build scalable platforms in sectors where infrastructure, specialized expertise and access to capital create significant barriers to entry.

Rooney will work closely with Traust leadership as the company evaluates additional acquisitions, partnerships and expansion opportunities across its portfolio.

About Traust Structured, LLC

Traust Structured, LLC develops and structures investment and operating platforms across aviation, aerospace, defense manufacturing and related infrastructure. Through a combination of strategic acquisitions, structured capital and operating partnerships, Traust seeks to build scalable businesses around established assets, specialized capabilities and long-term market demand.

Press Inquiries

Tammy Ridkin
tammy [at] trauststructured.com
https://www.trauststructured.com