Dubuque Native Named CEO of One of Top Airplane Manufacturers

A man with Dubuque roots was just named the CEO of one of the world's largest airplane designers and manufacturers. He's now tasked with pulling the company out of a recent PR nightmare that's captured national attention.

Last week, Dubuque native Kelly Ortberg was named the new president and CEO of Boeing, set to have his first day on the job on August 8th. Ortberg previously served as the president and CEO of Rockwell Collins, an avionics and information technology systems company headquartered in Cedar Rapids.

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Ortberg, who is between the age of 63 and 64-years-old, grew up in Dubuque, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa in 1982.

His career began all the way back in 1983 when he worked as an engineer at Texas Instruments before joining Rockwell Collins in 1987 as a program manager. It was the classic case of a man rising through the ranks to become CEO of the company in 2013. Ortberg has kept one foot in the aerospace realm for years too, serving as chair of the board of governors of the Aerospace Industries Association as well.

When he assumes the role of president and CEO of Boeing on August 8th, Ortberg will also be a member of the company's board of directors. He was chosen to be based in the Seattle area, where the company houses its main commercial aircraft assembly plants.

In recent years, Boeing has endured several different nightmares, between the crashes and subsequent groundings of Boeing 737 Max planes. Earlier this year, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 suffered a door plug blowout, leaving a door-sized hole in the fuselage, resulting in an emergency landing. Several people were injured in the process. Following the Justice Department opening a criminal investigation into the blowout, CEO Dave Calhoun and board chairman Larry Kellner both stepped down from their positions, with the vacancy to be filled by Ortberg.

Ortberg will be tasked with leading Boeing back on the right track of safety, quality, and reliability as one of the giants in the aerospace game. For more on Dubuque native Kelly Ortberg being tapped as Boeing's new CEO, visit WQAD's website.