May 12, 2009

Governor Riley Praises Boeing for Moving Missile Defense Headquarters to Huntsville

MONTGOMERY - Governor Bob Riley greeted the announcement by Boeing on Tuesday that the company is relocating the headquarters of its Missile Defense Systems division from northern Virginia to Huntsville with praise for Boeing and Alabama’s workers.

“By moving its missile defense headquarters to Huntsville, Boeing is making a powerful statement about its faith in Alabama’s future and the caliber of our highly skilled workforce,” Governor Riley said. “On behalf of all Alabamians, I thank Boeing for its continued commitment to Huntsville and to our state.”

Boeing announced on Tuesday that the relocation of the division’s headquarters starts immediately.

The company is the largest aerospace company in Alabama and one of the state’s largest employers. Current Boeing operations in Huntsville include the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program, which contributed more than $700 million to Alabama’s economy and supported nearly 5,600 jobs in 2007, according to a study done by the University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research.