Boeing

Lee Monson has been named vice president of Sales for Boeing Business Jets, the joint venture established in July 1996 by The Boeing Company and General Electric Co. to market a derivative of the Boeing 737-700 airplane as a corporate or VIP transport.

In his new position, Monson will develop the overall sales campaign for Boeing Business Jets in the Americas, including the recently announced BBJ fractional-ownership program. The program sells shares of BBJs to corporations and individuals who have a requirement for a large, long-range business airplane, but who cannot yet fully utilize their own dedicated airplane.

Based in Seattle, Monson will manage regional offices throughout the United States and coordinate sales activities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America. He will report to Borge Boeskov, president of Boeing Business Jets.

"The BBJ program is taking off much faster than we anticipated," Boeskov said. "Lee has the leadership skills and corporate-aviation industry experience that are necessary to help us organize and focus our increasing sales activities throughout the Americas. His contributions in this assignment will be critical to our continued success."

Monson, 42, joined Boeing Business Jets last fall as part of the organization's initial three-person sales staff, following a four-year career as one of the top sales managers for Gulfstream.

Previously, he worked in various sectors of the business-aviation industry. In addition to Gulfstream, he was a leading sales manager at Learjet and developed a broad background and understanding of avionics, flight-crew training and aircraft charter/management while working for companies such as Avjet, SimuFlite and Global Wulfsberg.

Following graduation with honors from the United States Air Force Academy in 1977, Monson served for six years as a captain in the U.S. Air Force at a variety of locations worldwide. He is a commercial pilot with type ratings in the DC-9 and G IV-SP.

The Boeing Business Jet has a 6,200-nautical-mile range and an 807-square-foot interior that can be configured to meet customer's business travel requirements. The price for an unfurnished, or "green," airplane is $33.75 million -- comparable to existing long-range corporate jets. A completely furnished and equipped business jet will cost approximately $40 million at delivery.

The first Boeing Business Jet is scheduled to roll out of the Renton, Wash., factory in mid-1998. First delivery is scheduled for the fall of 1998 to launch customer General Electric Co.