Huntsville—
Boeing's big move is the talk of the town in Huntsville. The company is moving its missile defense headquarters from Arlington,Virginia to right here in the Rocket City. The move is putting the spotlight on huntsville for those looking for jobs.Boeing officials say up to 50 jobs will be relocated with the immediate move out of Arlington, Virginia. The company's vice president says it's likely more jobs could come in the future.
It's a decision months in the making to move Boeing's Missile Defense Division's Headquarters away from the Nation's Capital to the Rocket City.
"We're very proud to announce that today. We're very happy about it, and we see it as a huge milestone," said Boeing's Site Operations Vice President Tony Jones.
Boeing's move will bring the company closer to its customer base. The shift will bring the division's management and support teams to Huntsville.
Boeing's Site Operations Vice President Tony Jones says this move strengthens the 47 year partnership between his company and Huntsville.
Mike Ward with the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce is excited about the possibilities. He believes the move makes sense considering Huntsville is the birthplace of missile defense.
"I think its reflected in what you see the Army do here, but what you also see with the missile defense agency locating most of its resources here," said Mike Ward.
Ward also believes it makes sense for other companies to take up residence in the Rocket City. He believes some may already be taking notes.
"Anyone involved in missile defense from the corporate side is obviously paying attention to what the missile defense agency, and Army are doing here," added Ward.
So far, there are no new jobs directly related to Boeing's move. Boeing's vice president says it's likely some jobs could open depending on the company's transition.
Boeing doesn't expect to see those opening for at least 60 days.
