June 2015 07 Marc Allen Boeing senior vice president President, Boeing International Sparking the imagination Paris Air Show is a time to reflect on Boeing’s trailblazing journey in aerospace as the company approaches its second century An air show encounter more than 100 years ago was the spark that fired the imagination of Boeing founder William E. Boeing, a visionary with a global perspective. Fluent in English, German and French, Bill Boeing had global horizons. He was born in Detroit to a German father and an Austrian mother, and sent to Switzerland for boarding school. In 1910, six years before starting his company, Boeing, then 29, traveled from Seattle to an international air show in Los Angeles, where he encountered famed French aviator Louis Paulhan. With his background and broad imagination, Boeing quickly grasped the profound implications of the new industry. Marveling at Paulhan’s aerial feats and the new technology on display, Boeing tried but failed to get a ride in Paulhan’s Farman biplane. He went home to Seattle determined to pursue aviation. This June, we at Boeing find ourselves at Le Bourget Airport for the biennial Paris Air Show, the world’s largest and longestrunning aerospace trade show. It offers a timely opportunity to step back and marvel at our position in the world. The company approaches the In-country teams continually develop new supplier, business and technical partnerships and integrate talent from around the world. The efforts are developing revenue opportunities through partnerships and reducing costs through leveraged resources. Aerospace has always brought people together around shared human aspirations. Today, the draw is greater than ever, thanks to economic development in rising economies and new technologies. The changes are reshaping the world—again. While we have Bill Boeing to thank for getting us started, we have the chance to carry on his legacy in the face of this change. Each year, we celebrate through the Global Month of Service a core value that our founder Bill Boeing brought to the company. Employees outside the United States volunteer their time and talents to improve their communities, serving in spirit alongside U.S. colleagues who are doing the same. This joined effort is a great reminder that our global partnerships are not just building a business but also growing Boeing as a contributing citizen of the world. n photo: Bob Ferguson | Boeing Leadership Message beginning of its second century in an incredibly competitive environment. Our aim is to sustain our global aerospace leadership and endure as an industrial champion by being the strongest, best and best-integrated aerospace company in the world. That will require leveraging the resources of the world, building a leadership position in operations, partnerships and suppliers on a global basis. I’m pleased to attend the air show as Boeing International president. Our team has the privilege to serve the company and its business units on the front lines of the international growth imperative. In-country teams represent the company to local stakeholders, integrate enterprise elements and strategies for “One Boeing” business and functional excellence, and carry out assignments for the business units with local capabilities—all of which are invaluable for getting things done all around the world. The company’s global footprint continues to grow. Our non-U.S. operations and subsidiaries now exceed 20,000 employees. We maintain corporate offices in 17 non-U.S. regions.
Frontiers June 2015 Issue
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