Doing what comes naturally Boeing Commercial Airplanes employees Jason Jamerson, a designer for 747-8 wing structures in Everett, Wash., and Alison Robinson, an airplane contracts administrator in Renton, found themselves in waders in the Ballona Freshwater Marsh at Playa del Rey, near the Los Angeles Airport. Bronson Edwards, a design engineer in 767 Structures for Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, was cast as a robotics coach. And Marquetta Thomas, a Global Services & Support program manager for Defense, Space & Security in St. Louis, was featured building a house. They were among more than 30 Boeing employees who were flown to Los Angeles in July 2012 to shoot one of Boeing’s new series of TV commercials, “Build Something Better,” which began airing in February. The five ads focus on Boeing’s products, systems and services, as well as its diverse and innovative culture—and its employee tradition of community service. In 2011, about 800 Boeing volunteers, from sites across the United States, answered a call in Boeing News Now and submitted audition tapes for a chance to perform in the new ads, which were filmed in Seattle and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles shoot featuring the more than 30 selected employees focused on Boeing’s culture of volunteerism and building better communities. Employees acted in vignettes showcasing Boeing volunteers helping veterans and the elderly, building a house, caring for the environment, and mentoring young people. The vignettes were edited down to a 30-second commercial that is running on regular and cable networks in the United States, and on local U.S. stations. In their real volunteer lives, both Jamerson and Robinson have helped preserve natural areas—Jamerson, celebrating Earth Day by pushing a wheelbarrow and removing invasive species at another estuary, the Union Slough restoration site north of Everett; Robinson, battling invading blackberries and ivy at Seattle’s densely forested Carkeek Park. Edwards’ role as a robotics coach reflected work he has done with high school and middle school students. He also volunteers with Seattle’s 4C Coalition, a mentoring program for at-risk youth, and with the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement Program helping educationally disadvantaged students. Kevin Meredith, an Advanced Technology program manager at Huntington Beach, Calif., said his audition was easy. “It’s really easy to go in and talk to someone about what you’re passionate about.” Meredith was filmed framing a house, which was fitting. He has volunteered his management and carpentry skills to repair old houses and make them safer for the elderly and accessible for homeowners in wheelchairs. But he said his main volunteer focus is getting young people excited about science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, through the Tiger Woods Learning Center. Marquetta Thomas, the St. Louis program manager, was also shown building a house, just as she has done back home where her many community service activities include volunteering for Rebuilding Together. The nonprofit organization repairs the homes of low-income families and people with disabilities to make them safer and more comfortable. For George Yang, a systems and data analyst with Information Technology in Seattle and a regular volunteer on Earth Day and Global Month of Service projects, working to support the community is fun—and an important part of being a Boeing employee. “When we’re wearing our volunteer shirts,” he said, “it lets everybody know we not only make good products but also contribute to the community.” n kathrine.k.beck@boeing.com Frontiers March 2014 15
Frontiers March 2014 Issue
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