NEW YORK – Robert S. Tyrer, ex-chief of staff to former U.S. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, was elected Thursday to the board of directors of the EDO Corp.

Tyrer, 46, is president and chief operating officer of The Cohen Group, an international business-consulting firm headed by Cohen.

Tyrer also was Cohen’s chief of staff when Cohen represented Maine in the U.S. House and Senate. He is a graduate of the University of Maine.

EDO Corp. provides military and commercial products and professional services in a range of defense areas, including electronics, aircraft armament, undersea warfare and communications. The company had revenues last year of $461 million.