Edward Gerding Boeing

Ed Gerding is vice president and chief engineer for Government Services Engineering within Boeing Global Services (BGS). The diverse organization includes engineering support for all defense maintenance, modifications, upgrades, retrofit and support equipment across U.S. and international Air Force, Navy, Army and Space programs. In addition, Gerding has responsibility for the engineering teams within Boeing Defence United Kingdom and Boeing Defence Australia. In this role, Gerding has assigned or matrixed responsibility for all engineering disciplines, leading a team of over 4,000 engineers. He is responsible for engineering execution on these programs, including safety, engineering performance and affordability, design practices, advancing model-based engineering and driving engineering first-time quality.

Previously, Gerding was vice president and senior chief engineer for Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS) Engineering Structures and Mechanical Systems, responsible for the technical integrity and success of BDS development and production programs. Additionally, he served as the BDS Structures and Build engineering capability leader with oversight of all BDS structures and production engineers.

Gerding began his career with McDonnell Douglas in 1984 as an associate structural design engineer on the AV-8B Harrier II program. He has worked a variety of other programs, including the C-17, F-15, F/A-18, A-10, and 787, as well as assignments on proprietary programs. His tenure includes a long-term expatriate onsite assignment at Israel Aircraft Industries in support of F-15 coproduction, and a relocation to Boeing South Carolina to focus on 787 affordability in a program management role. Gerding is experienced across all of Boeing’s business units, as well as the full product lifecycle of early development, development, production and sustainment.

Gerding has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Maryville University. In 2011, he was inducted into the Academy of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers for the Missouri University of Science & Technology (AMAE); he is a past AMAE president and currently serves on the board of directors. In addition, Gerding is the Boeing executive focal for Tennessee State University. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Missouri, and a Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.