Boeing

Boeing [NYSE: BA] has signed an agreement with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to mentor Muskogee Metalworks, an economic enterprise of the tribe. Under the agreement, Boeing will provide quality assurance, lean training, and marketing and business development assistance. The agreement between Boeing and Muskogee will help Muskogee Metalworks become a more cost effective and viable subcontractor to Boeing and other customers.

"We are proud to be associated with Muskogee Metalworks and with this Mentor-Protégé agreement, the latest in a series that Boeing has established with small companies to benefit from the diverse capabilities of companies located throughout Alabama," said Chuck Allen, vice president, Boeing Huntsville Business Operations. "Mentor-Protégé agreements are a priority for Boeing because they promote the growth of suppliers and ultimately strengthen the business base."

The U.S. Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé Program pairs large companies with eligible small businesses to enhance their capabilities and enable them to successfully compete for larger, more complex prime contract and subcontract awards.

Muskogee Metalworks is a tribally-owned enterprise. Its 90,000-square foot facility provides machine parts to military and private enterprise and participates in the U.S. Air Force Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production Program. In operation since 1989, Muskogee Metalworks' primary business is the design and manufacture of metal fabricated hardware. In 2001, the product line was expanded to include electronic assemblies and electro-mechanical production. In 2005, Muskogee Metalworks received the Nunn-Perry Award, the highest honor awarded to a contractor by the Department of Defense.

Boeing 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 the PAC-3 missile.