AIAA and The Boeing Company came together in St. Louis, Missouri, on 20 October for a day focused on strengthening membership and exploring new opportunities to engage the aerospace community together.
Known as “Fighterland USA,” Boeing’s St. Louis site provided an inspiring setting for conversations about expanding the relationship between our organizations and identifying new ways to connect Boeing employees with AIAA activities and programs.
The Boeing team was proud to discuss their newly elected AIAA Associate Fellows and AIAA 30/30 recipients, as well as share the details of Boeing’s new AIAA Accelerated Leadership Program.
The Boeing team treated CEO Clay Mowry and members of the AIAA staff to tours of the Prologue Room, which is an impressive showcase of Boeing aircraft and spacecraft, as well as the F-15 production line and simulator and the teardown lab.
The AIAA St. Louis Section hosted an evening reception to connect with section and student branch officers and members from the local community. A spirited trivia competition brought some friendly rivalry to the evening. Members shared stories about the activities, connections, and enthusiasm that make the St. Louis aerospace community so vibrant.
More than anything, the visit was a reminder that AIAA’s strength comes from its people. Seeing the commitment of our Boeing members, section leaders, students, and volunteers firsthand was inspiring. They give generously their time, expertise, and energy to share knowledge, create connections, develop future leaders, and ensure that the AIAA community continues to grow and thrive.
We left St. Louis grateful for the strength of our relationship with Boeing and, most importantly, for the members who make AIAA what it is. Shout out to Boeing’s Ashley Purkey for coordinating the corporate visit and Geoffrey Behrens of the St. Louis section for coordinating the reception.
