After a string of incidents involving its aircraft — including a door plug blowing out that highlighted several apparent shortcomings in its production and quality assurance protocol and led to strict new oversight from the FAA — Boeing announced "leadership changes" to its Commercial Airplanes division (BCA) on Wednesday.
In a letter, Stan Deal — Boeing's Executive Vice President who also serves as BCA's President and CEO — said the changes were part of "driving BCA's enhanced focus on ensuring that every airplane we deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements."
Among the changes effective immediately: Ed Clark, who helmed Boeing's 737 MAX program and oversaw the factory that built the aircraft that later saw its door plug blow out, "is leaving the company," according to Deal's letter. "Ed departs with my, and our, deepest gratitude for his many significant contributions over nearly 18 years of dedicated service to Boeing," he added. Katie Ringgold was announced as Clark's successor as "vice president and general manager" of the 737 program and Boeing's Renton factory.
In addition, Elizabeth Lund — a senior VP and general manager of Airplane Programs for BCA who oversaw the 737, 747, 767, 777/777X, and 787 production — was elevated to "the new position of senior vice president for BCA Quality, where she will lead our quality control and quality assurance efforts, as well as the quality initiatives we recently announced," Deal said.
Boeing senior VP for Development Programs and Customer Support Mike Fleming — who helped Boeing get through storms caused by previous Dreamliner and 737 MAX issues — will succeed Lund in overseeing her production portfolio while continuing to lead BCA's Customer Support team.
This is a developing story and may be updated.