On a recent visit to the archives were ( from left ) Brian Besanceney , chief communications officer ; Brett Gerry , chief legal officer and executive vice president – Global Compliance ; and Greg Hyslop , chief engineer emeritus , who received a tour from Mike Lombardi , chief historian . ( Craig Larsen photo )
A one-quarter-scale model of the first Boeing airplane , the B & W ( Boeing & Westervelt ), is part of the collection in the new Boeing Archives in Auburn , Washington . ( Craig Larsen photo )
Grand opening : Some passionate stewards of the company ’ s history – all current Boeing executives – recently visited the new location to tour the state-of-the-art facility and participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony .
“ We are grateful to the Historical Services team for their careful and thoughtful work to preserve these important artifacts from Boeing ’ s history ,” said Brett Gerry , chief legal officer and executive vice president – Global Compliance . “ These archives are a powerful reminder of the long and rich legacy of our company – a legacy that all of us have the privilege and responsibility to honor and build upon every day .”
According to Greg Hyslop , chief engineer emeritus , “ When people ask me what The Boeing Company is , I always say it is a chain of people going all the way back to Bill Boeing .
“ I think when you are here in the archives and see the history preserved you can recognize our proud legacy , and that ’ s important if we are going to serve that legacy well going forward .”
The big picture : The features that make the new archives a world-class facility include a simple layout designed for safety and efficiency .
1 . The space is one giant room ( 14,000 square feet or 1,300 square meters ) and a smaller ( 2,500 square feet or 232 square meters ) attached climate-controlled room , which combined contain 180 rows of compact , space-saving shelving that allows easier access to the collection .
2 . The new space is completely enclosed and features highly accurate environmental controls that maintain temperature , humidity and air purity at the standards set by the U . S . National Archives .
Brian Besanceney , chief communications officer , said “ I think the Boeing Archives embody the term ‘ living history .’ Yes , it celebrates and preserves our company ’ s history and the history of aviation , but it ’ s also an important resource for solving today ’ s challenges as well as educating and inspiring future generations .”
“ I ’ m pleased that this new facility will ensure we are protecting and accessing these irreplaceable and unique assets forever .”
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2023 ISSUE NO . 35 19