Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg resigns in wake of 737 Max crisis
After two plane crashes, Boeing is shaking up its leadership.
- She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
The CEO of Boeing is out after a rocky year.
Boeing is restructuring its leadership as 2019 comes to a close. Dennis Muilenburg, the aerospace company's CEO since 2015, will be replaced by current chairman David Calhoun. The change will go into effect Jan. 13, 2020. In the meantime, Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith will serve as interim CEO.
The shakeup is meant to help Boeing operate with full transparency, including improved communication with the US Federal Aviation Administration, other global regulators and its customers, according to a release from the company on Monday. In October, an international flight safety panel found failures by both the FAA and Boeing in regards to the two 737 Max plane crashes that killed over 300 people. The report said changes needed to be made to pilot response times, certification and communicating updates in airline software.
"I strongly believe in the future of Boeing and the 737 MAX," Calhoun said in the release. "I am honored to lead this great company and the 150,000 dedicated employees who are working hard to create the future of aviation."
The production of the Boeing 737 Max has been marred with setbacks, failure and tragedy in the last year and a half. In October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed minutes after taking off out of Jakarta, Indonesia, and 189 people were killed. In March, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 also crashed shortly after take off. All 157 passengers on board died. After the second crash, all Boeing 737 Max planes were grounded.
Earlier this month, the company said it would suspend 737 Max production starting in 2020.