Effective immediately, Boeing has appointed Admiral Kirkland H. Donald, U.S. Navy (Ret.), as a special advisor to Boeing’s President and CEO, Dave Calhoun.
Admiral Donald, along with a team of external experts, will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Boeing’s quality management system for commercial airplanes. This assessment will encompass quality programmes and practices within Boeing’s manufacturing facilities, as well as the company’s oversight of commercial supplier quality. The recommendations arising from this evaluation will be presented to Calhoun and the Aerospace Safety Committee of Boeing’s Board of Directors.
Admiral Donald brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served as a nuclear-trained submarine officer for 37 years. In his final Navy assignment, he held the position of Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Programme for eight years, ensuring the safe and effective operation of all nuclear-powered warships and related infrastructure. The programme gained worldwide recognition for its excellence in reactor safety and reliability.
Currently, Admiral Donald serves as the Chairman of the Board for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., the largest military shipbuilding company in the United States. He also chairs the board of the non-profit organisation “Battelle”. His public board service extends to Entergy Corporation, where he holds the position of Chairman of the Nuclear Committee.