Boeing Commercial Airplanes realigns leadership structure

Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer Jim Albaugh on January 28 announced organizational changes intended to strengthen the company's focus on both performance and long-term strategy.

"Our priorities for 2010 and beyond are clear," Albaugh said. "We must execute on our 787 and 747-8 development programs; we must continue to perform on our ongoing production programs; and in this increasingly competitive world, we must develop a clear vision and roadmap for both the single-aisle and twin-aisle marketplaces."

In a move to strengthen processes, tools and functional excellence, Albaugh announced the following appointments:

• Howard Chambers will lead a newly created Commercial Airplanes function, Program Management, which will focus on the development of program-management skills and drive enterprise-wide best practices throughout the organization. He most recently was vice president and deputy program manager, 787 Program.
• Tim Copes was named vice president, Manufacturing and Quality, reporting to Ray Conner, vice president and general manager, Supply Chain Management and Operations. Copes most recently was president, Shared Services Group, for The Boeing Company.
• John Cornish was named vice president, 787 Final Assembly, reporting to Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager, 787 Program. Cornish most recently led Commercial Airplanes' Manufacturing and Quality organization.
• Mike Delaney was named vice president, Engineering, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He has extensive engineering experience with all five Commercial Airplanes programs, including spending the last two years as 787 chief project engineer.

Albaugh also announced moves intended to strengthen execution of ongoing Boeing programs, including:

• Dan da Silva was named vice president, Freighter Conversions, reporting to Dennis Floyd, vice president, Technical Services, Commercial Aviation Services. Da Silva most recently was vice president, Sales and Marketing, Commercial Aviation Services.
• Stan Deal was named vice president, Supplier Management, reporting to Ray Conner, vice president and general manager of Supply Chain Management and Operations. Deal replaces Steve Schaffer, who will retire April 1 after 36 years with the company. Deal most recently was vice president, Sales, Asia-Pacific for Commercial Airplanes.
• Elizabeth Lund will become vice president and general manager, 767 Program, reporting to Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager, Airplane Programs. Lund most recently was vice president, Product Development.
• Beverly Wyse was named vice president and general manager, 737 Program, also reporting to Shanahan. She replaces Mark Jenkins, who recently announced his retirement after 35 years at Boeing. Wyse most recently was vice president and general manager, 767 Program. She will continue to support the U.S. tanker program.

Albaugh made further executive changes intended to stimulate future growth, saying in a message to employee message on January 28, "Defining Boeing's airplane product strategy is critical to our future growth. We need a clear vision and roadmap for both our single-aisle and twin-aisle offerings for the future. Also, in the global environment in which we operate, we need a sharpened situational awareness of macro-economic and geopolitical realities".

• Nicole Piasecki will lead a new BCA Business Development function responsible for the overall integration of strategic planning and analysis critical to maintaining Boeing's long-term competitiveness. She previously was president, Boeing Japan.
• Mike Bair will lead a newly created Advanced 737 Product-Development team, which will be responsible for planning the future of Boeing's single-aisle offering. Bair most recently was vice president, Business Strategy and Marketing, Commercial Airplanes.
• Lars Andersen will lead a new Advanced 777 Product-Development team, which will be responsible for Boeing's large twin-engine, twin-aisle airplane program. Andersen served in a number of key roles on the 777 program, culminating in seven years as vice president and program manager. He retired in 2007, and returns as a consultant.
• Marlin Dailey, vice president, Sales, Commercial Airplanes, will lead an expanded team that also includes product marketing and market analysis.
• John Wojick was named vice president, Sales, Asia Pacific, replacing Deal. Wojick most recently served as vice president, Sales, Leasing and Asset Management.

Additionally, Albaugh announced the following moves:

• Mike Denton will become president, Boeing Japan, reporting to Boeing International President Shepherd Hill. Denton most recently was vice president, Engineering, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He will relocate to Tokyo.
• Ray Conner, vice president and general manager, Supply Chain Management and Operations, now has full responsibility, accountability and authority for the entire Boeing Charleston site.

"I have learned a lot during my first five months at BCA," Albaugh said. "This is an outstanding team achieving great things together, and we ended 2009 with a strong quarter, exceeding our forecast for operating cash and profit. Today's announced changes are intended to make the BCA team even stronger to meet current challenges and stay focused on the opportunities ahead."