It’s difficult to believe that Boeing’s HQ move from WA to Chicago was based on any valid business reasoning.
Boeing builds lots of things. They have space, military, commercial jets, etc. Their manufacturing plants are all over the US and overseas partners. Having their corporate HQ in Chicago made sense because it put it in the middle of the US where they were closer to their plants. Plus the time zone differences. Plant operations say in Georgia were closing at 5pm when it was 2pm in Seattle. So from a logistical position it was a smart move. And it only involved about 125 people in corporate. The Seattle Times made some big deal about Boeing moving when it was just the HQ. Hope this helped.
Maybe they were trying to send a message to the Washington State jamokes that think businesses are there for government and labor unions to pilfer?
Stonecipher retired from Boeing in 2002, but was hired back by the BoD when President Phil Condit left the company. When word of an affair between Stonecipher and a married 45-year old VP surfaced in 2005, the Boeing BoD asked for and received his resignation. Stonecipher’s wife of 50 years, Joan, filed for divorce shortly after the affair was made public. The female VP was fired and her husband subsequently filed for divorce. The former Mrs. Stonecipher got 50 percent of Harry's pension, perks, and property in the divorce. Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Stonecipher