Western team wins first place in Boeing Northwest Case Competition in Seattle

A Western Washington University College of Business and Economics student team, “Lean Forward,” won first place in the First Annual Boeing Northwest Case Competition on Friday, Nov. 8, at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

The Case Competition gives students the opportunity to apply supply chain management and business knowledge in an integrated team setting to solve a real-world Boeing supply chain problem.

 On Oct. 15, several five-person teams from Western were given a week to work on a supply chain management case and create a 20-minute presentation. “Lean Forward”– composed of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management students Alison Aw (Bellevue), Bryan Irwin (Vancouver), Sara Magana (Bellingham) and Slavik Melnik (Marysville) and Financial Economics student Jeff Thunell (Edmonds) – was selected out of the Western teams to move forward and compete against other top teams from University of Washington, Central Washington University and Portland State University.

“Lean Forward” traveled on Nov. 8 to present their case again in front of eight Boeing judges comprised of senior executives. Placing first, they were awarded a prize of $1,000 and are guaranteed an interview for a Boeing internship.

For more information, contact Peter Haug, Western Washington University professor of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, at 360-650-4807 or Peter.Haug@wwu.edu.