CEO who led American Airlines through bankruptcy reorganization joins Wal-Mart board

The executive who led American Airlines successfully through bankruptcy reorganization but did not remain long after a huge merger with another carrier has joined the board of Wal-Mart.

The retailer on Monday named Tom Horton as a director, becoming its 16th member effective last Friday.

Wal-Mart cited Horton's financial-management experience at American.

Horton, 53, became the CEO of AMR Corp. the day before it filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2011. The airline merged with US Airways and exited Chapter 11 in December 2013 after repaying creditors in full and giving shareholders a stake in the new company.

But US Airways CEO Doug Parker, and not Horton, was named to run the merged company, American Airlines Group Inc. Horton served briefly as chairman before stepping down in June.

Horton started at American in 1985 and rose to become chief financial officer. He left in 2002 to become CFO at AT&T Inc. but returned to American in 2005.

Shares of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., based in Bentonville, Arkansas, rose 38 cents to $85.03.