Karen R. Jones

Karen R. Jones was named in May 2009 as director of the Program Management Office (PMO) for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Supply Chain Management & Operations (SCM&O) organization, which includes the following operating units: Fabrication, Supplier Management, Propulsion, Manufacturing & Quality and Global Strategies. In this role, she provides leadership for a dynamic work statement environment, implementing program management tools and best practices, integrating SCM&O-wide initiatives, and helping accelerate efforts to implement the Boeing Production System through a focus on Lean, employee engagement and relentless process improvement. Prior to this assignment, Jones was the PMO director for Fabrication, a $3 billion operating unit which produces parts for all Boeing commercial airplane models at 12 manufacturing units around the world.

From 2002 to 2007, Jones was a senior manager for PMO in Commercial Airplanes' Global Partners organization where she was responsible for strategic planning, supplier diversity and support to enterprise supplier functional leaders. Prior to that assignment, she served as director of Operations in the Materiel Division where she led the transition of the materials-management function into various manufacturing plants across BCA. Before joining the PMO team, Jones was the product owner responsible for the entire value chain surrounding all BCA cargo-handling equipment with responsibilities for strategy, product analysis and benchmarking to achieve a competitive advantage within the industry.

She began her career with Boeing in 1980 in Industrial Engineering. Jones also supported Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' B2 Program, where she was promoted to Quality Assurance senior manager responsible for operations including budgets, estimating, mil-spec compliance, MRB and audits. In 1988, she transferred to Wichita, Kan., where she spent two years as a senior manager in Industrial Engineering and PMO. In 1990, Jones returned to Seattle, assigned to BCA Materiel Division PMO. In 1992 she was named a senior manager for purchased outside production (POP) procurement.

Jones attended Eastern Washington University and recently received an Advanced Management Programme certificate from the University of California-Berkeley Haas School of Business and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She also earned a certificate in Global Leadership from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management. Jones is active as the Boeing executive focal to Central Washington University, where she serves on the university's College of Business Advisory Board.

Updated June 2009