Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES
Boeing has made sweeping changes to its management in the wake of the structural changes announced in early September providing for three new Commercial Airplane business units.
Under newly appointed Boeing Commercial Airplane Group president Alan Mulally, the company is divided into three main units. The Single-Aisle Airplane Business Unit, with responsibility for the 717, 737, 757, MD-80, MD-90 and MD-11, will be headed by Jim Jamieson. The Twin-Aisle Airplane Business Unit, for the 747, 767 and 777, will be led by Jim Morris. The third group, the Customer Service Business Unit, will be Tom Schick's responsibility.
Ron Woodard, deposed to make way for Mulally on 1 September after Boeing suffered a series of damaging financial and production setbacks, has meanwhile elected to retire from Boeing rather than take the marketing role he is understood to have been offered.
Woodard's dismissal continues to cause waves throughout the industry. Continental Airlines chief executive Gordon Bethune, a former Boeing colleague of Woodard, indicated that his removal from office was unjust and inappropriate. Quoted in a Cleveland newspaper, Bethune says "-he's the wrong guy - the only guy that had any confidence in the team".
Speaking at the recent handover of the company's first 777, Bethune expressed concern that Woodard's dismissal "was a very, very poor decision". Continental is due to take 123 Boeings this year and next.
Key appointments within the new structure include the naming of John Hayhurst to lead the 737 programme and Jack Gucker to head the 737/757 derivative programmes. Not unexpectedly, Dick Pearson who oversaw the transition of the Douglas Products division into the Long Beach division, becomes head of the MD-80, MD-90 and MD-11 programmes, as well as retaining management of the site. Jim Phillips, with long associations to the former MD-95, will lead the 717 programme, while Jamieson will become acting 757 programme head.
Within the twin-aisle unit, long-time senior Everett manager Ed Renouard will lead the 747 and 767 programmes as well as taking responsibility for managing the site. Ron Ostrowski will continue to lead the 777 programme.
At Customer Services, Brad Cvetovich will lead customer support, Darce Lamb will head airline logistics support, Gary Scott will head FlightSafety Boeing Training International and Joe Gullion will be in charge of modification and engineering services. Borge Boeskov will continue to head Boeing Business Jets.
Source: Flight International
