Boeing vs Target: Founders, CEOs and History
Boeing was founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing, George Conrad Westervelt and is led by Kelly Ortberg. Target was founded in 1902 by George Dayton and is led by Michael Fiddelke.
Company facts
Founders
Boeing
William E. Boeing
The Boeing Company was founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing, a wealthy timber merchant, and George Conrad Westervelt, an US Navy engineer.
George Conrad Westervelt
George Conrad Westervelt occupies an unusual position in aviation history: a co-founder of what became the world's largest aerospace company who departed before the company was officially incorporated and whose subsequent contributions to aviation, while disti…
Target
George Dayton
George Draper Dayton became a partner in Goodfellow's Dry Goods Company, one of the largest department stores in Minneapolis, in 1902, and became sole owner and president within a year, renaming it the Dayton Dry Goods Company.
CEOs and their tenures
Boeing
- William McPherson Allen1945–1968
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO for 16 years, he transitioned Boeing from a purely military bomber manufacturer into the undisputed global leader in commercial jet aviation, launching the 707, 727, 737, and 747.
Source - Thornton Wilson1969–1986
Chief Executive Officer
He saved the company from imminent bankruptcy during the catastrophic 'Boeing Bust' of 1969-1971 by ruthlessly cutting the workforce from 100,000 to 38,000 (the infamous 'Turn Out the Lights' era).
Source - Frank Shrontz1986–1996
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO through the late 1980s and 1990s, he pushed the company toward massive lean manufacturing initiatives and initiated the highly controversial merger with McDonnell Douglas.
Source - Philip M. Condit1996–2003
Chief Executive Officer
An engineer who led the 777 program, became CEO in 1996, completed the McDonnell Douglas merger in 1997 and moved headquarters from Seattle to Chicago in 2001. He resigned in December 2003 amid the tanker procurement scandal.
Source - Harry Stonecipher2003–2005
Chief Executive Officer
The former McDonnell Douglas CEO returned from retirement in December 2003 after Phil Condit resigned over the Air Force tanker-lease scandal. The board forced him out in March 2005 over a relationship with a female executive that broke company policy.
Source - James McNerney2005–2015
Chief Executive Officer
A former 3M chief executive hired in July 2005. He oversaw the 787 Dreamliner's delayed entry into service in 2011, launched the 737 MAX (2011) and 777X (2013), and pushed suppliers and labor hard on cost.
Source - James A. Bell2005–2005
Chief Executive Officer
He strictly enforced capital discipline during the 2008 financial crisis, ensuring Boeing retained the massive liquidity required to fund its commercial and defense pipelines.
Source - Dennis Muilenburg2015–2019
Chief Executive Officer
A Boeing engineer who became CEO in July 2015 and chairman in 2016. He led the company through the Lion Air (2018) and Ethiopian Airlines (2019) 737 MAX crashes and the worldwide grounding, and was fired in December 2019.
Source - Dave Calhoun2020–2024
Chief Executive Officer
A Boeing director and former GE executive who took over in January 2020 after Dennis Muilenburg was fired.
Source - Kelly Ortberg2024–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ortberg became Boeing's president and CEO on August 8, 2024, recruited from outside after more than 35 years in aerospace, including running Rockwell Collins as CEO from 2013 through its sale to United Technologies (later RTX).
Source
Target
- Robert J. Ulrich1994–2008
Chairman and CEO
Under Ulrich Target grew into the second-largest US discount retailer, built its design-partnership model with designers such as Michael Graves, and added the Super Target format. He retired as chief executive in 2008 and was succeeded by Gregg Steinhafel.
Source - Gregg Steinhafel2008–2014
Chairman, President and CEO
Steinhafel resigned in May 2014 after the data breach and the poor results of Target Canada, which the company closed in 2015 after losses. Brian Cornell succeeded him later in 2014.
Source - Brian Cornell2014–2026
Former Chairman and CEO
Cornell's tenure ended amid a stock and sales slump, with revenue declining for three consecutive fiscal years (from $107.412 billion in FY2023 to $104.780 billion in FY2025) even as the omnichannel infrastructure he built began paying off in the following qua…
Source - Michael Fiddelke2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Fiddelke inherited a company coming off three straight years of revenue decline. His first two quarters as CEO delivered growth: Q1 FY2026 net sales rose 6.7% and Q2 FY2026 net sales rose 5.3% to $26.5 billion, with comparable traffic up 3.6%.
Source
Timeline: Boeing and Target side by side
1902Target
Dayton Company is founded
George Dayton becomes a partner in Goodfellow's Dry Goods Company in Minneapolis in 1902, then sole owner in 1903, renaming it Dayton Dry Goods Company -- the business that eventually becomes Target Corporation.
1916Boeing
Pacific Aero Products Company Incorporated
William Boeing incorporates Pacific Aero Products Co. on July 15, 1916 in Seattle, a month after the B&W seaplane he built with George Conrad Westervelt first flew from Lake Union on June 15.
1917Boeing
Renamed The Boeing Airplane Company; First Military Contract
The company is renamed The Boeing Airplane Company in April 1917 following co-founder George Westervelt's return to active Navy duty, and secures its first meaningful military contract when the U.S. Navy orders the improved Model C floatplane.
1927Boeing
Boeing Air Transport Wins San Francisco-Chicago Airmail Route
Boeing forms Boeing Air Transport and wins the U.S. Post Office airmail contract for the San Francisco to Chicago route, the most commercially valuable domestic airmail route, initiating Boeing's involvement in commercial aviation beyond manufacturing.
1933Boeing
Boeing 247 Introduced as the First Modern Airliner
Boeing introduces the Model 247, widely recognized as the world's first modern commercial airliner, featuring all-metal construction, retractable landing gear, a cantilevered wing, and variable-pitch propellers.
1954Boeing
Dash 80 Jet Prototype First Flies
The 367-80, or Dash 80, first flies on July 15, 1954, the company's 38th anniversary. Funded with about $16 million of Boeing's own money, it leads to the KC-135 tanker for the Air Force and the 707 airliner, which enters service with Pan Am in 1958.
1962Target
First Target store opens
The first Target discount store opens in Roseville, Minnesota.
1969Boeing
Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet Makes First Flight
The 747, the first wide-body jetliner, first flies on February 9, 1969 and enters service with Pan Am in January 1970.
1994Boeing
Boeing 777 First Flight
The Boeing 777, the world's largest twin-engine commercial aircraft and the first airliner designed entirely using computer-aided design tools without physical mock-ups, makes its inaugural flight on June 12, 1994.
1997Boeing
Boeing Merges with McDonnell Douglas
Boeing completes its $13.3 billion acquisition of McDonnell Douglas, creating a single dominant American aerospace and defense company and ending more than two decades of three-way commercial aircraft competition.
2000Target
Company becomes Target Corporation
Dayton Hudson changes its name to Target Corporation as the discount chain becomes the center of the company.
2009Boeing
Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the first commercial aircraft built primarily from carbon-fiber composite materials, makes its first flight on December 15, 2009 more than two years behind its original 2007 schedule following extensive supply chain difficulties with…
2013Target
Target Data Breach
Target discloses a data breach affecting more than 40 million customer payment cards during the holiday shopping season, becoming one of the most-cited cybersecurity failures in US retail history.
2014Target
Dermstore Acquired
Target acquires online beauty retailer Dermstore to expand its e-commerce beauty business; it sells the unit to THG for $350 million in 2021.
2015Target
Target Exits Canada
Target announced in January 2015 that it would close all of its Canadian stores, ending an expansion that began in 2013.
2017Target
Target acquires Shipt and Grand Junction
Target acquires same-day delivery platform Shipt for about $550 million and transportation-technology startup Grand Junction, accelerating omnichannel fulfillment.
2019Boeing
737 MAX Grounded Worldwide Following Two Fatal Crashes
After the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in October 2018 and the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash in March 2019, which killed 346 people, regulators ground the 737 MAX worldwide.
2020Target
Stores become fulfillment hubs
Target's store-based fulfillment model becomes central to digital growth during the pandemic period.
2022Boeing
Boeing Relocates Corporate Headquarters to Arlington, Virginia
Boeing formally moves its corporate headquarters from Chicago, Illinois, to Arlington, Virginia, placing its senior executive team adjacent to the Pentagon and within close proximity to Congress and the regulatory agencies that govern both its defense and comm…
2024Boeing
Door-Plug Blowout, Machinists Strike, and Leadership Transition
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 experiences a door-plug blowout at 16,000 feet on January 5, triggering a FAA production cap on 737 MAX and a congressional investigation into Boeing's quality management.
2025Boeing
F-47 Win, Strike in St. Louis, Spirit Buyback and a Return to Profit
The Air Force selects Boeing's F-47 as its sixth-generation fighter in March. Boeing sells Jeppesen and other digital units to Thoma Bravo for $10.55 billion, the FAA raises the 737 cap to 42 a month in October, a 102-day strike at St.
2025Target
Michael Fiddelke named next CEO
Target announces that Michael Fiddelke will succeed Brian Cornell as CEO effective February 1, 2026, after 22 years rising through the company including as CFO and COO.
2026Boeing
737-7 Certified, F/A-XX Win and a 737-10 Setback
Backlog reaches a record $715 billion at June 30. The FAA certifies the 737-7 on August 3, then on September 28 holds 737-10 certification over a flight-management software issue. On September 29 the Navy selects Boeing to build the F/A-XX fighter.
2026Target
FY2025 revenue is reported
Target reports FY2025 revenue of $104.780B and net income of $3.705B, the third consecutive year of revenue decline.
2026Target
Q1 FY2026 sales rebound
Target reports Q1 FY2026 net sales growth of 6.7% and comparable sales growth of 5.6% under new CEO Michael Fiddelke.
2026Target
Q2 FY2026 growth and raised outlook
Target reports Q2 FY2026 net sales of $26.5B (+5.3%), comparable sales growth of 3.8% and raises full-year guidance to about 5% sales growth.
Acquisitions
Boeing
- Spirit AeroSystems2025$4.7B
- Aurora Flight Sciences2017Undisclosed
- Aviall2006$1.7B
- Jeppesen Sanderson2000$1.5B
- Hughes Electronics (space and communications business)2000$3.8B
- McDonnell Douglas1997$13.3B
Questions about Boeing vs Target
Who is the CEO of The Boeing Company and Target Corporation?
The Boeing Company is led by Kelly Ortberg and Target Corporation is led by Michael Fiddelke. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was The Boeing Company founded vs Target Corporation?
Target Corporation was founded in 1902 — 14 years before The Boeing Company, which was founded in 1916. Target Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger The Boeing Company.
How many employees does The Boeing Company have compared to Target Corporation?
The Boeing Company employs approximately 182,000 people, while Target Corporation employs approximately 415,000. Target Corporation has the larger workforce at 415,000 employees, compared to The Boeing Company's 182,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are The Boeing Company and Target Corporation headquartered?
Both The Boeing Company and Target Corporation are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded The Boeing Company and Target Corporation?
The Boeing Company was founded by William E. Boeing, George Conrad Westervelt. Target Corporation was founded by George Dayton.
Which company has a longer operating history — The Boeing Company or Target Corporation?
Target Corporation has been operating for approximately 124 years, making it the more established of the two companies. The Boeing Company has been in operation for around 110 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Boeing vs Target overview