Rosie the Riveters commemorate Black History Month at Renton factory

A group of 15 African American women who were former “Rosie the Riveters” visited the Renton, Wash., facility on Feb. 8 in celebration of Black History Month. During their visit, the women were given a guided tour provided by employees, viewed storyboard pillars depicting historical photos in Rosie’s Diner (the site’s food-service facility), and participated in a special luncheon hosted in their honor.

Black History Month provides a way to recognize and celebrate the important contributions African Americans make in the world. These prior “Rosies” were among the first women to work in a factory environment during World War II. They played a major role in breaking down racial barriers and opening doors for women.

“This was truly a wonderful experience,” said Carolyn Corvi, vice president and general manager of Airplane Production for Commercial Airplanes, on the day of the visit. “Thank you for being here today and for sharing this occasion so we always remember the legacy and contributions you have given to us.”

Boeing nets Shingo prize, times two

Two Boeing operations last month won what Business Week magazine has called the “Nobel Prize of manufacturing.”

The St. Charles, Mo., Weapons Enterprise Capability Center, and Mesa, Ariz., Rotorcraft site have been awarded the 2004-2005 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. These are the first Boeing wins of the award.

The award announcement followed site visits by teams of Shingo examiners who looked at virtually every area and support function, with a focus on Lean manufacturing principles and demonstrated business results.

The Shingo competition includes North American companies and researchers throughout the world. Sponsored by Utah State University, the prize was established in 1988 to promote awareness of Lean manufacturing and recognize companies that achieve world-class manufacturing status.

The award is named for the late Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo, a leading expert in improving manufacturing processes.

11 hoteling centers coming

Boeing plans to open 11 new Virtual Office “hoteling center” offices around the United States in 2005, adding to the seven opened since 2002.

A “hoteling center” provides an office environment with supporting services to employees who travel or who normally work without having a traditional office. Hoteling centers have opened up already this year at the Tract III site in St. Louis; Herndon, Va.; and Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

Virtual office is what Boeing calls the ability of employees to work away from the conventional office or cubicle while remaining electronically linked.

“I think a lot of Boeing employees are going to find this new way to work productive, rewarding and efficient,” said Dick Stewart, Shared Services Group manager for the Boeing Virtual Office Program.

Each center offers conference rooms and individual workspaces with network drops, computer docking stations and telephones for employees that work virtually and for traveling Boeing employees.

For more information including a full list of the centers, or to schedule a desk or conference room at any Virtual Office hoteling center, visit the Virtual Office Program site on the Boeing Web at http://vo.web.boeing.com.

“Dream” wheels

As part of his first visit to Seattle, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker (left, in photo) took a moment to try out the one-of-a-kind Kawasaki Dreamliner sportbike in the lobby of Commercial Airplanes headquarters accompanied by Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Alan Mulally. The sportbike signifies the strong partnership between Boeing and Kawasaki on the 787 Dreamliner Program. Al Baker’s visit included meetings with the Commercial Airplanes leadership team as well as in-depth discussions with 787 Program representatives. He also received a customer-support briefing from Lou Mancini, head of Boeing’s Commercial Aviation Services organization. Al Baker has made several public statements indicating Qatar Airways’ strong interest in the 787 Dreamliner.

El Al signs on to offer Connexion

El Al Israel Airlines and Connexion by Boeing have signed a definitive agreement for the installation of the Connexion by Boeing high-speed Internet service on the air carrier’s long-haul fleet.

The agreement calls for installation of the Connexion by Boeing service to begin in the second half of 2005 on El Al’s long-haul fleet, which includes Boeing 747-400s and Boeing 777 aircraft. Installations are expected to be complete by 2007.

El Al joins Singapore Airlines, China Airlines, Korean Air and Asiana as carriers that have said they intend to install the Connexion by Boeing system on their long-range aircraft. That service is available today on select flights offered by Lufthansa, SAS, Japan Airlines and ANA. Boeing employees are eligible for a discount on the Connexion by Boeing service; for more information, visit http://network.web.boeing.com on the Boeing Web.

ETHICS QUESTIONS?

You can reach the Office of Ethics & Business Conduct at 1-888-970-7171; Mail Code: 14-14; Fax: 1-888-970-5330; TDD/TTY: 1-800-617-3384; e-mail: ethicsline.ethics@boeing.com. People with access to the Boeing internal network can find more information at: http://ethics.whq.boeing.com/



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