The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. Selected to Join Boeing's United States Aerial Refueling Tanker Team

"We certainly welcome this new partnership with Boeing that will create at least a dozen additional well-paying jobs for blind and Deaf-Blind, while supporting our 400-plus current employees and their families in Washington State." -- Kirk Adams, President and CEO.

SEATTLE, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. today announced that it has joined The Boeing Company's nationwide team to compete for the U.S. Air Force's new fleet of aerial refueling tankers.

As part Boeing's United States Tanker Team, Seattle Lighthouse will become eligible to increase orders if Boeing is awarded the U.S. Air Force tanker contract later this year. Seattle Lighthouse's manufacturing operations center currently makes more than 500,000 parts for several Boeing commercial airplanes.

"We are thrilled to once again join with Boeing and have the opportunity to support our nation's defense and compete for a new U.S. aerial refueling tanker aircraft," said Kirk Adams, president of The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. "The bonds that unite our company and Boeing span more than five decades and we certainly welcome this new business that will create at least a dozen additional well-paying jobs for blind and Deaf-Blind, while supporting our 250-plus current blind and Deaf-Blind employees and their families."

"With one of the hardest working and most innovative workforces in the world, Boeing has long been a great source of pride to Seattle," said Rep. Jim McDermott (WA). "Boeing is a socially responsible company that cares about the growth and welfare of the region around it. For years, Boeing has shown its commitment to helping individuals with disabilities, and I'm so pleased that it will be partnering with Seattle Lighthouse to help create jobs. If Boeing is awarded this contract by the U.S. Air Force, it will bring thousands of jobs to Washington State, benefiting its economy and furthering its reputation as one of the best places in the country to be in business."

Washington would benefit from some 11,000 jobs if Boeing's NewGen Tanker is selected as the U.S. Air Force's next aerial refueling aircraft.  These jobs are a large portion of the tanker's estimated $693 million in economic impact in the state.  Additionally, Boeing works with more than 3,200 companies in Washington, paying more than $2.6 billion for services and products.  If Boeing is awarded the contract, it would support at least 50,000 total jobs and 800 suppliers across the United States.

Seattle Lighthouse joins a broad and diverse list of Washington-based suppliers that are proud to help Boeing deliver an American-designed and -built, combat-ready tanker featuring maximum capability at the lowest cost.

About Lighthouse for the Blind.

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., the parent company of Seattle Lighthouse, is a 501(c)(3) social enterprise dedicated to generating opportunities for independence and self-sufficiency for adults who are blind, Deaf-Blind, and blind with other disabilities. Through a comprehensive range of training programs and career development opportunities we create meaningful employment as well as products and services of outstanding quality, offering access to adaptive technology and the accommodations necessary for success.

We have provided employment, support, and training opportunities for people who are blind, Deaf-Blind, and blind with other disabilities since 1918.

For more details on The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., visit www.seattlelighthouse.org.

For additional information about Boeing's aerial refueling tanker, visit www.unitedstatestanker.com.

For more information on how you join our efforts, visit www.realamericantankers.com.

SOURCE The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.