James McNerney

Walter James "Jim" McNerney Jr., born on August 22, 1949, was a successful business leader. He served as the president and CEO of the Boeing Company from June 2005 to July 2015. During his time there, he also held the position of chairman until March 1, 2016. One of his key responsibilities was overseeing the development of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Early life and education

Jim McNerney was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He finished high school at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, in 1967. He went to Yale University and earned a degree in 1971. At Yale, he played baseball and hockey. After Yale, he worked for a year at British United Provident and G.D. Searle, LLC. He later went to Harvard Business School and got a Master of Business Administration in 1975.

Career

Jim McNerney began his business career in 1975 at Procter & Gamble, working in brand management. He later worked as a management consultant at McKinsey from 1978 to 1982.

In 1982, McNerney joined General Electric. There, he held many important jobs, including leading GE Aircraft Engines and GE Lighting. He also led GE’s operations in Asia-Pacific and worked in electrical distribution and control. In 2001, he became chairman and CEO of 3M, where he stayed until 2005.

In June 2005, McNerney became chairman, president, and CEO of Boeing. As Boeing’s first CEO without an aviation background, he decided to upgrade the 737 series to the 737 MAX instead of creating a new model. He also focused on controlling company spending.

McNerney has been a member of the Boeing board of directors since 2001. He also serves on the boards of Procter & Gamble and IBM. He has held many leadership roles, including chairman of The Business Council and a member of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees.