MOST people think of commercial airplanes when they hear the name Boeing. But the era of a single manufacturer producing an entire airplane has come and gone, and Boeing has changed with the times.
Today, Boeing's capabilities extend beyond commercial airplanes to include integrated military platforms, advanced technology for defense systems, and even electronic enablement of airplanes. In other words, Boeing specializes in wireless connectivity on a grand scale, and technology so advanced as to be almost beyond recognition.
As Boeing's vice president and CIO, Scott Griffin bears responsibility for all I.T. strategy, systems, network operations, architecture, processes, and people.
Boeing is the world's leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners, with capabilities in military aircraft, rotorcraft, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles, and advanced information and communication systems. Its reach extends to customers in 145 countries around the world.
Griffin began his career at Boeing in 1979 and has held a broad range of assignments throughout the company. He became VP and CIO of Commercial Airplanes in October 1997, a position he held until his promotion to Boeing CIO in October 1999. In addition to holding that title, Griffin chairs the company's Information Technology Process Council and is a member of the Boeing Engineering Council.
Born and raised in Fresno, California, Griffin earned an undergraduate degree from Fresno State University and a master's degree in business from the University of Puget Sound.
On the very day Boeing's latest pride and joy -- the Boeing 777-2000LR -- debuted and made a record nonstop flight from Hong Kong to London, Griffin spoke with CIO Today. Exuberant, intelligent, and gregarious, he was delighted to reveal that Boeing's aptitude is for more than just altitude.
CIO Today: What are your top concerns as CIO?
Griffin: Boeing is changing from a manufacturing company to a technology company. Historically, people have thought of Boeing as a manufacturer of aerospace platforms -- aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, and satellites.
But today, more and more of the fabrication of the parts for those products is being done by our partners, and we have become a large-scale systems integrator -- a company focused on integrating and assembling those parts.
Additionally, more and more of our products are services or systems. One example is the U.S. Army's Future Combat System, which will transform how soldiers use communication and information technology in the field to integrate the battlespace. It involves everything from radios to middleware. It's not a traditional manufacturing product, it's a "system of systems."
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