James A. Bell, a 32-year veteran of Chicago-based Boeing Co., will serve as interim president and CEO of the $52 billion aerospace firm, following the March 6 resignation of Harry Stonecipher as president and CEO.
Bell remains Boeing's CFO, a position he has held since 2003.
As interim president and CEO, Bell will oversee the company's strategic direction, set operational and financial performance targets, direct capital expenditures and approve key personnel assignments, Boeing says. As CFO, Bell is responsible for overall financial management of the company. Before being named CFO, Bell was Boeing's senior vice president for finance and corporate controller.
Previously, Bell was vice president of contracts and pricing for Boeing Space and Communications and had been director of business management of the Space Station Electric Power System at Boeing's Rocketdyne unit. Bell began his career with Rockwell in 1972.
Boeing announced March 7 that non-executive chairman Lewis Platt would assume "an expanded role" but did not say specifically what it would be.
