WASHINGTON—Elizabeth Lund, Boeing’s senior vice president of quality for Commercial Airplanes, will retire next month after more than 33 years with the company, Boeing announced today. Lund played a crucial role in restoring Boeing’s quality control systems following a major in-flight incident in January when a fuselage panel blew out on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. This incident marked the start of an ongoing crisis at Boeing, with Lund under intense scrutiny from regulators and Congress as she worked to address the lapses and implement a recovery plan for the company’s quality management systems.

In an internal message to employees, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope praised Lund for her leadership during this challenging period, noting her “remarkable contributions to Boeing.” Lund, in her farewell message, reflected on her long career with the company, expressing that Boeing had been an integral part of her life. “A piece of my heart will always be with this company,” she said, reaffirming her deep belief in the people of Boeing and their work in creating the world’s best airplanes.

Lund, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in mechanical and aerospace engineering, rose through the ranks at Boeing, leading major programs such as the 777 and 747. She also oversaw the commercial airplane supply chain. In late 2021, she was appointed senior vice president and general manager of all airplane programs.

After the Alaska Airlines incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave Boeing 90 days to address its quality control issues, and Lund was tapped to lead the company’s quality organization. In June, she acknowledged that a 2019 decision to reduce Boeing's quality inspector workforce had been a mistake and that the company was working to reverse it.

Despite facing challenges, including a rebuke from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for disclosing non-public details about the Alaska Airlines incident, Lund remained committed to improving Boeing's quality control. In August, she was subjected to tough questioning by NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy regarding Boeing’s progress on quality restoration.

Boeing has named Doug Ackerman, who has been vice president of supply chain and fabrication quality, as Lund’s successor. Ackerman has worked closely with Lund on the safety and quality initiatives that have been approved by the FAA.