Scott Fancher, senior vice president of program management, integration and development programs, Boeing, has announced his intention to retire in September 2017.

The move brings to a close 40-years at Boeing and a career that spans executive leadership roles across the company’s signature commercial, defence and space programs.

“Few leaders have stepped into the crucible of leading edge development programs in aerospace like Scott Fancher,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive.

“His depth and breadth of leadership experience across the entire company exemplifies the ‘One Boeing’ culture that distinguishes us as a leader in aerospace, and his record of achievement in program management stacks up with anyone in our industry.

“We thank him for his 40 years of service and leadership.”

In his current role, Fancher led the company-wide deployment of Boeing’s development program management system, and he structured and launched the company’s first integrated corporate function for identifying, developing and deploying program management talent.

He also propelled initiatives sponsored by Muilenburg to accelerate the pace of Boeing’s vertical product development, technology development, and enterprise quality and productivity initiatives.

Fancher, who joined the company as an intern in 1977, has held executive leadership roles on a wide range of breakthrough development programs across nearly every product line, technology domain and customer segment.

“Scott brought a laser focus to maturing, integrating and expanding our drive toward enterprise-wide excellence in managing development programs, selecting and growing program management talent, and advancing our strategic approach to innovation acceleration,” Muilenburg said.

“With these foundations in place and part of our daily operating rhythm and processes, Scott will be able to smoothly transition their oversight to other members of our senior executive team.”