Boeing [NYSE: BA] Space Exploration, formerly NASA Systems, today announced several key leadership reassignments to facilitate the transition of legacy programs and effectively focus on NASA’s Constellation program initiatives for returning humans to the moon and beyond.
“The leadership changes will enable Boeing to successfully execute current programs and position us to better support NASA in implementing the Vision for Space Exploration,” said Brewster Shaw, Boeing Space Exploration vice president and general manager.
John Elbon is named vice president and program manager, Constellation, formerly known as Space Exploration Systems. Elbon succeeds Chuck Allen, now the vice president of Boeing business operations in Huntsville, Ala. Elbon most recently served as International Space Station (ISS) vice president and program manager. Elbon will lead Boeing efforts on the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) and other NASA Constellation program elements.
Joy Bryant replaces Elbon as ISS vice president and program manager. Bryant previously served as Space Exploration chief engineer and was responsible for managing the engineering support to Boeing’s ISS, Space Shuttle and Constellation programs. Bryant will lead Boeing in engineering, development, integration and operation of NASA’s ISS program.
Joe Gernand replaces Bryant as director of engineering and program chief engineer. He previously served deputy program manager and chief engineer. In his new assignment, Gernand is responsible for managing and integrating engineering support for all Boeing Space Exploration programs. Cheryl Britt, formerly Boeing Huntsville, Ala., operations site chief engineer, is named to the newly created position of program manager, Transformation and Integration (T&I), Space Exploration. In Huntsville, Britt was responsible for people, processes and tools. As program manager for T&I, she is responsible for ensuring the necessary skills, expertise, tools and processes are properly transitioned from Space Exploration legacy programs – Shuttle, ISS, Check-out, Assembly and Payload Processing Services (CAPPS) – to NASA Constellation projects such as CEV and CLV.
In another newly created position, Jim Chilton is named acting head of Space Exploration’s Launch Systems . Located in Huntsville, Ala., Chilton will lead Boeing in support of Marshall Space Flight Center’s CLV, Cargo Launch Vehicle and the Earth Departure Stage projects. Previously Chilton led the CAPPS contract at The Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Mark Jager is named acting CAPPS program manager, replacing Chilton.
The nation’s Vision for Space Exploration is a strategy of human and robotic space missions designed to return humans to the moon sometime between 2015-2020 and eventually to Mars and beyond. Boeing Space Exploration, headquartered in Houston, is the leading global supplier of reusable and human space systems and services. Space Exploration, a division within Boeing Integrated Defense Systems’ Network and Space Systems business, employs nearly 4,200 people in Texas, Florida, California and Alabama.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government, and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world’s largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world’s largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA’s largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.
