Next month, senior leaders and staff with Boeing Defense will move their headquarters from St. Louis to Washington, D.C., according to a spokesman.
The move will initially involve only about a dozen people, spokesman Todd Blecher said, adding that the company’s 14,000 employees will remain in St. Louis.
“Over time, as some of those people bring their staffers, the number of people could grow to around 50,” Blecher said.
The move had been in discussions for months, Blecher said, and reflects the hands-on approach of Leanne Caret, who was named president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security in February.
“It’s really a reflection of how Leanne manages her organization,” he said. “She really emphasizes personal engagement with our customers, people on Capitol Hill and in the administration.”
He added that the move is not related to President-elect Trump’s call for the cancellation of Boeing’s contract to build two aircraft to replace Air Force One. Last week, Trump tweeted that the U.S. should “cancel order” due to the program’s projected $4 billion price tag.
Blecher also said the move shouldn’t be cause for alarm among employees in St. Louis.
“We understand this likely comes as a surprise to folks in the area, where we plan to maintain our presence for many years to come,” he said. “This should not be taken as a signal of an impending retreat from the St. Louis community.”
Defense One was the first to report the move.
