In Everett, a mixture of joy and relief over tanker

  • By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer
  • Sunday, March 6, 2011 12:01am
  • BusinessEverett

Despite the gloomy weather, the Puget Sound region continues to bask in the glow of the Boeing Co.’s tanker victory.

The win united Boeing workers, the community and political leaders. In the days following the Air Force’s Feb. 24 announcement, local businesses up and down Highway 99 have changed their signs to congratulate Boeing. The multibillion-dollar Air Force tanker contract will keep 11,000 people working in Washington state. Boeing offered a tanker based on its Everett-built 767 commercial jet.

Inside the company’s Everett factory on the Friday after the Air Force’s announcement, Boeing 767 program workers expressed a mixture of emotions: relief, joy and wariness about whether losing bidder EADS would try to thwart the contract. Boeing’s rival conceded a week later.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Lorraine Gibson, a six-year Boeing employee, helped oversee the company’s recent move of the 767 line inside the Everett factory. Prior to the announcement, Gibson was worried given that many analysts predicted EADS would beat Boeing for the contract.

“It would have been devastating for the Puget Sound region,” she said. Instead, “a lot of people have a future here.”

Gary Ottinger has worked on the 767 program for 15 years as a manufacturing engineer. Like Gibson, Ottinger wasn’t too sure what the outcome of the tanker contract would be. The Air Force was on its third try at handing out the $30 billion deal to replace 179 KC-135 tankers.

“A lot of us were sweating whether we’d have jobs in a couple years,” Ottinger said, as he jubilantly showed off his Team 767 rally towel. “Now, it’s no big deal. We can get my son or daughter in here working.”

Bringing in the next generation of workers also was a benefit touted by several members of the 767 tooling department. Gina Thorvilson hopes her sons will be able to work at Boeing someday. The tanker contract provides long-term job opportunities, she said.

Thorvilson’s co-worker Jan Griffith-Mower agreed.

“It means so much for the Northwest,” she said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Izaac Escalante-Alvarez unpacks a new milling machine at the new Boeing machinists union’s apprentice training center on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists union training center opens in Everett

The new center aims to give workers an inside track at Boeing jobs.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

People take photos and videos as the first Frontier Arlines flight arrives at Paine Field Airport under a water cannon salute on Monday, June 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Water cannons salute Frontier on its first day at Paine Field

Frontier Airlines joins Alaska Airlines in offering service Snohomish County passengers.

Amit B. Singh, president of Edmonds Community College. 201008
Edmonds College and schools continue diversity programs

Educational diversity programs are alive and well in Snohomish County.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

FILE — Jet fuselages at Boeing’s fabrication site in Everett, Wash., Sept. 28, 2022. Some recently manufactured Boeing and Airbus jets have components made from titanium that was sold using fake documentation verifying the material’s authenticity, according to a supplier for the plane makers. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)
Boeing adding new space in Everett despite worker reduction

Boeing is expanding the amount of space it occupies in… Continue reading

Hundreds wait in line to order after the grand opening of Dick’s Drive-In’s new location in Everett on Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In throws a party for opening day in Everett

More than 150 people showed up to celebrate the grand opening for the newest Dick’s in Snohomish County.

Patrick Russell, left, Jill Russell and their son Jackson Russell of Lake Stevens enjoy Dick’s burgers on their way home from Seattle on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. The family said the announcement of the Dick’s location in Everett “is amazing” and they will be stopping by whenever it opens in 2025. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In announces details for Thursday’s grand opening in Everett

Dick’s will celebrate its second Snohomish County location with four days of festivities.

Katie Wallace, left, checks people into the first flight from Paine Field to Honolulu on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Executive order makes way for Paine Field expansion planning

Expansion would be a long-range project estimated to cost around $300 million.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

The Daily Herald relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in