Boeing has tapped Mark Jenks to lead a new Airplane Programs organization that the company expects to ensure both consistency and efficiency throughout its core commercial aircraft production efforts—one of several changes announced by the company’s leadership aimed at aligning similar businesses.
The changes, announced in an internal memo by Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) president Stan Deal, will see leaders of the 737, 747/767, 777 and 787 programs report to Jenks, who has been leading the 737 program since July 2019. Walt Odisho, currently head of BCA Manufacturing, Safety and Quality, will succeed Jenks as head of BCA’s only narrowbody program, while 737 Manufacturing Operations leader Gary McCulley will succeed Odisho.
Deal’s April 22 message also revealed that Boeing will combine management of its external and internal supply chains under Elizabeth Lund, currently BCA’s VP, Supply Chain. The new alignment will see Lund oversee not only Boeing’s 3,000 external suppliers, but also internal part, subassembly, and kit procurement coming out of Boeing’s sites around the world and feeding into its production facilities.
Boeing also is combining management of its Seal Beach, California-based Customer Support organization under Mike Fleming, who is head of the company’s recently created Global Aviation Safety System as well as the 737 MAX return to service (RTS) effort. The change will streamline commercial customer support, including the usual effort needed to get 420 stored MAXs delivered to customers and another 385 stored MAXs in operators’ hands back into service, under a single leader.
Word of the changes came on the heels of several others announced publicly by Boeing, including news that BCA CFO Greg Smith is taking over a new corporate-level Enterprise Operations, Finance and Strategy office. Kevin Schemm will take over as Boeing corporate's top financial executive, while Kent Fisher, Boeing’s head of corporate development, will become CFO at BCA.
The new office led by Smith is tasked with shepherding the company’s supply-chain and production ramp-ups as industry emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. The spread of the virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes forced Boeing to pause all commercial production, and the long-term ramifications on airline demand will lead to lower monthly production rates as airlines recover.
Note: A previous version of this article had inaccurate information on some of the personnel changes. It has been updated.
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