Boeing’s head of quality for commercial planes, Elizabeth Lund, is retiring

Elizabeth Lund, senior vice president of quality at Boeing Commercial Airplanes and one of the company’s most prominent female executives, will retire next month, the company said Monday.

In an internal message to employees, Boeing Commercial CEO Stephanie Pope wrote that Lund, 59, had planned to retire this year after more than 33 years at Boeing and thanked Lund “for her strong leadership during a challenging year and her remarkable contributions to Boeing.”

In a message to the Quality organization she leads, Lund wrote she did not make the decision lightly.

“Boeing has been a part of my life for more than 30 years,” she wrote. “A piece of my heart will always be with this company … I will always root for you.

“I believe so deeply in you, the people of Boeing,” Lund added. “Together we help create the amazing airplanes that connect our world.”

Lund has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in mechanical and aerospace engineering. She rose steadily over a long career at Boeing and led various major jet programs, including the 777 and 747 programs as well as the commercial airplanes supply chain.

In late 2021, she was appointed senior vice president and general manager of all airplane programs.

A month after the fuselage blowout on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in January, Lund was tapped to lead the quality organization after the Federal Aviation Administration gave Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan to fix its management of product quality.

In June, Lund made a misstep at a press briefing when she commented on details about the Alaska Airlines incident that had not previously been publicly disclosed. She was rebuked by the National Transportation Safety Board for breaking strict disclosure rules about ongoing accident investigations.

As a result, Boeing’s access to the NTSB’s investigative information on the incident was withdrawn.

Pope said Doug Ackerman, who has been serving as vice president of Supply Chain and Fabrication Quality will succeed Elizabeth.

Ackerman has worked closely with Lund on the Safety and Quality Plan approved by the FAA.