Boeing fired its chief financial officer and another executive today for what it said was unethical conduct in connection with circumstances surrounding a controversial plan to have the Air Force acquire Boeing planes for use as refueling tankers.
Boeing said executive vice president and CFO Mike Sears was dismissed immediately as the result of circumstances surrounding the hiring of former Air Force official Darleen Druyun.
Druyun, who had been vice president and deputy general manager of Missile Defense Systems, also was fired.
The company said Sears was dismissed for violating company policies by communicating directly and indirectly with Druyun about future employment when she had not disqualified herself from acting in her official government capacity on matters involving Boeing.
In addition, an internally initiated review found both attempted to conceal their misconduct.
Documents disclosed by the government revealed that Druyun, then the principal deputy assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition and management, had told Boeing that rival Airbus had submitted a bid $5 million to $17 million less per plane than Boeing's offer.
Druyun joined Boeing nine months later. Boeing had earlier denied wrongdoing.
The aerospace giant named James Bell as acting chief financial officer. He had been serving as senior vice president of finance and corporate controller.
Shares of Boeing fell 6 cents to $38.80 in early trading Monday on the New York Stock Exchange.