ARLINGTON—Boeing announced on Wednesday, July 31, that its Board of Directors has elected Robert K “Kelly” Ortberg as the company’s new president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective August 8, 2024. Ortberg will also serve on Boeing’s Board of Directors.

“I’m extremely honored and humbled to join this iconic company,” said Ortberg. “Boeing has a tremendous and rich history as a leader and pioneer in our industry, and I’m committed to working together with the more than 170,000 dedicated employees of the company to continue that tradition, with safety and quality at the forefront. There is much work to be done, and I’m looking forward to getting started.” 

He will succeed Dave Calhoun, who earlier this year announced his intention to retire from the company, having served as president and CEO since January 2020, and as a member of Boeing’s Board of Directors since 2009.

Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun along with BCA president and board chair announce resignations on Monday, March 25, after a plethora of safety and quality incidents arising after the near-fatal Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in-flight mid-cabin door blowout in January.

“The Board conducted a thorough and extensive search process over the last several months to select the next CEO of Boeing and Kelly has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter,” said Steven Mollenkopf, Chair of the Board. “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies. We look forward to working with him as he leads Boeing through this consequential period in its long history.”

“The Board would also like to thank Dave Calhoun for his strong leadership at Boeing, first as Chair and then as CEO, when he stepped in to steer the company through the challenges of recent years,” added Mollenkopf.

Ortberg, 64, holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa and brings over 35 years of aerospace leadership to this position.

He began his career in 1983 as an engineer at Texas Instruments, and then joined Rockwell Collins in 1987 as a program manager and held increasingly important leadership positions at the company prior to becoming its president and CEO in 2013. After five years leading Rockwell Collins, he steered the company’s integration with United Technologies and RTX until his retirement from RTX in 2021.

He has held a number of important leadership posts in industry, including serving on the Board of Directors of RTX. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of Aptiv PLC, a global technology company and an industry leader in vehicle systems architecture. He is the former Chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Board of Governors.

Local Leaders Reaction to new Boeing CEO

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

“The company needs to move back to Seattle. The notion that somebody thinks they can run the company from anywhere other than Seattle is a big mistake.”

“It’s a good first step that the CEO will be based in Seattle, and now the rest of the headquarters needs to move back home to rejoin our world-class aviation workforce. When it comes to quality and safety, being close to the workforce on the ground matters.” 

Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee:

“I am encouraged about the announcement of Kelly Ortberg as the new President and CEO of The Boeing Company. Mr. Ortberg is a mechanical engineer. I hope that means he will ensure that his top message for everyone is building the best airplane means building the safest airplane in the world.

“First, he has to ensure a continued commitment to the safety and quality plan that is Boeing’s pathway to earning the trust and confidence of the traveling public.

“Second, he needs to listen to the women and men of the Machinists Union in the current labor negotiations to ensure they are compensated for their work and treated well for carrying much of the burden for the company over the last several years.

“Finally, Boeing needs to complete the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, bringing back a key part of its supply chain into the company.

“I look forward to meeting Mr. Ortberg soon, but that is not as important as focusing on Boeing returning to the top of its game.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Article updated 3:11 p.m., July 31, 2024, with statement from Senator Cantwell.