In Big Win, Boeing Moves Headquarters Back to Missouri
In a huge win for the Show-Me-State, Boeing is moving the headquarters of its Defense, Space & Security division back to St. Louis.
In a statement on Wednesday, the company said the shift underscores leadership’s “commitment to being present and engaged with teammates who are designing, producing and delivering vital defense and space products and capabilities for customers in the U.S. and around the world.”
The move out of Arlington, Virginia, where it’s been since 2017, returns the defense headquarters to St. Louis, where it was based from 1997 to 2017 and where much of Boeing’s military aircraft production remains. Boeing employs more than 18,000 people in the St. Louis region and says its operations indirectly support more than 30,000 additional jobs. At least five Kansas City-area companies are listed as Boeing subcontractors.
“It’s important for leaders to be side-by-side with our teammates, listening to their feedback and acting to remove obstacles as we continue to stabilize and strengthen our business,” said Steve Parker, CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. He said senior leaders will spend more time at major engineering, production and manufacturing centers across the country as part of a focus on “disciplined performance.”
Boeing is in the midst of a multibillion-dollar investment in advanced combat aircraft production facilities, including upgrades in St. Louis. The region also recently welcomed the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency campus, part of a broader effort to position St. Louis as a national security and defense hub.
Dr. Jerome Katz of Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz School of Business said the headquarters return strengthens ties between management and the workforce, particularly after labor tensions last year.
“Bringing this back to St. Louis means workers and management will see problems at the same time and together through the whole process,” Katz said.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe called the decision a win for the state’s aerospace sector. Boeing did not announce a timeline for completing the move.
–Metro Voice
