2023 Boeing Northwest Case Competition

The 2023 Boeing Northwest Case Competition commenced at Western Washington University with a virtual Kick-Off Event on Thursday, October 26 with six teams of five students each competing. Teams were composed of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, International Business, MIS, Accounting, and Finance majors. MSCM alumni Ed Bellew and Zola Carbone, who now work at Boeing, conducted the virtual Kick-Off Event.

The case reading studied the design, production, market, and feasibility of an aerospace company developing an autonomous air taxi (AAT). The First Round Presentations were conducted in Parks Hall 031 on Friday, November 3, and each WWU team presented a 20-minute presentation of their analysis and recommendations for an autonomous air taxi to three Boeing Judges (Rachele Horner, Kim Valentine, Ken Wolter) followed by 10-minutes for Questions and Answers. The presentations were followed by an awards ceremony in Parks Hall 108 where the Boeing Judges announced the winning WWU team that would compete in the Final Round Presentations against teams from the University of Washington, Central Washington University, and Portland State University.

The first place WWU team, which was called “The Dream Team”, had the following team members: Tommi Adams (MSCM), Jade Phan (MSCM), Azikin Rozaly (MSCM), Nathan Sim (International Business), and Eddie Zhang (International Business).

On Friday, November 10, the four university Boeing case finalist teams were escorted on a tour of the Boeing Customer Experience Center in Renton, Washington, and the Final Round Presentations were then made after lunch at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

“The Dream Team” delivered their 20-minute presentation to four Boeing judges. After hearing the presentations by the four university teams, Boeing judges deliberated and announced that the second-place team was “The Dream Team” from WWU with the University of Washington awarded first place. The prize award for second place was $1,500 divided between the five team members.

This year represented the eleventh Boeing Northwest Case Competition, and WWU has won first place three times and second place five times. Faculty members who dedicated time and energy in organizing teams, reviewing presentations, and supporting the Boeing NW Case Competition teams were Lillian Fok (Decision Sciences), Peter Haug (Decision Sciences), Tom Roehl (Management), and Steve Smith (Accounting).