Veteran Boeing airplane program manager Mark Jenks retires; Elizabeth Lund to take over

Mark Jenks, a veteran program manager at Boeing who led successively the 787 and 737 MAX jet programs and then became senior vice president responsible for all commercial jet programs, is retiring after 38 years at the company.

Replacing him as senior vice president and general manager of Airplane Programs for Commercial Airplanes is Elizabeth Lund, only the second woman to hold the position that puts her in charge of the production and delivery of all commercial aircraft.

Announcing the change internally, Boeing Commercial chief Stan Deal also elevated another longtime female executive to his leadership team: Kim Pastega, vice president of Boeing’s Fabrication unit, will now report directly to Deal.

For now, Lund will also retain the role she’s had since 2019 as vice president and general manager of the Commercial Airplanes Supply Chain until the company decides on a replacement.

Previously, she was the vice president and general manager of the 777/777X jet program and leader of Boeing’s Everett site. Before that she led the 747 jumbo jet program and before that the 767 program.

The first woman to head Airplane Programs was Carolyn Corvi, who had headed production in Renton before taking charge of all jet production.

Last year, Jenks was appointed to the Boeing Executive Council, the company’s top leadership team.

Jenks was appointed head of the 737 program four months after the second 737 MAX crash that grounded the airplane in March 2019. He was involved with development of the 787 Dreamliner from its earliest days but took full charge in the period after the battery fires when the program became successful.

Boeing said in announcing the move that Jenks will remain at the company through the beginning of 2022 to help with the transition.