Head of Boeing 737 MAX Program Steps Down

DALLAS – Ed Clark, who headed up Boeing’s 737 MAX program in the post-pandemic period, is stepping down after nearly 18 years at the company. According to a Fortune report, Katie Ringgold will succeed Clark as Vice President and General Manager of the Boeing 737 program and its factory in Renton, Washington, where the narrow-body aircraft are produced.

Clark’s exit is part of a management shakeup at Boeing. The aircraft manufacturer has faced various issues in recent years, which have led to delays in aircraft production, causing operational challenges for airlines waiting for new aircraft.

Many airlines retired or decommissioned several commercial aircraft during the pandemic, as passenger demand slumped and the cost of operating older aircraft increased significantly.

The order has given a boost to Boeing's troubled 737 MAX program. Photo: Boeing — Boeing 737 MAX Production line. Photo: Boeing

Restructuring of Management at Boeing

A major shift in management at the company was announced by Boeing’s Commercial Chief Stan Deal in an internal memo. Boeing faces pressure from regulators, lawmakers, airlines, and investors to address aircraft manufacturing defects that have disrupted production processes after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aircraft manufacturer intends to improve quality control and assurance. Politico reports that Boeing’s commercial division has created a new position of senior vice president for Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) Quality. This will be headed by Elizabeth Lund, focusing on quality control and assurance. Lund is currently senior vice president and general manager for airplane programs at Boeing.

Mike Fleming succeeds Lund as senior vice president and general manager of airplane programs. Fleming will work closely with Lund to implement quality control initiatives and minimize work that has to be redone or performed out of sequence due to late-arriving parts.

This major reshuffle in management at Boeing is the first the manufacturer has made since the unfortunate incident when a door plug was unfastened during an Alaska Airways Boeing 737-9 flight. The company has also faced financial headwinds in recent times. Its shares have dropped 23% this year, marking the worst performance among the 30-member Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Feature Image: Boeing 737 MAX in house colors. Photo: Max Langley/Airways