Boeing

Peri A. Widener has been named the senior site executive for Boeing in Huntsville, Ala., effective immediately. Widener will oversee the business activities for space, missile defense and satellite programs and the overall operation of the Boeing Huntsville site, which employs about 2,600 people.

Widener was most recently director for Business Development, Missile Defense Systems, a division of St. Louis-based Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. In this previous assignment as well as in her new role leading the Huntsville site, Widener reports to Jim Evatt, senior vice president and general manager, Missile Defense Systems.

"With more than 24 years in a variety of roles spanning the Boeing customer and product spectrum, Peri brings a wealth of knowledge to this position. She has demonstrated her value in the Missile Defense Systems organization and will be a tremendous asset to our team in Huntsville," said Evatt.

Since joining Boeing in 1979, Widener has held a number of management and leadership positions on a range of programs that include missile defense, military aircraft, and space. This is not Widener's first assignment in Huntsville. She was assigned to the Huntsville site from 1981-1992, and in 2001 was Ground-based Missile Defense site executive for Boeing Missile Defense Systems. She has personal roots in the north Alabama area as well. Widener's parents, Wayne and Luanne Widener are long time residents of Decatur, Ala.

Widener replaces Gina DeSimone, who took a new position at Boeing Air Traffic Management in McClean, Va., in February.

The Boeing Company is the largest aerospace company in Alabama. Today, the workforce of more than 3,000 employees work on the leading edge of key space and defense programs including the International Space Station, Ground-based Midcourse Defense, Avenger and PAC-3 Missile.