Electroimpact
 | |
| Industry | aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 1986 in Seattle, Washington |
| Founder | Peter Zieve |
| Headquarters | 4413 Chennault Beach Rd, , United States |
Key people | Peter Zieve, Michael Zieve |
Number of employees | 400[1] |
| Website | www |
Electroimpact is an aerospace engineering manufacturer founded by Peter Zieve in July 1986 and based in Mukilteo, Washington.[2]
History
[edit]Electroimpact was founded by Peter Zieve in July 1986 in Seattle, Washington after he invented low voltage electromagnetic riveting as a doctorate student at the University of Washington.[3] At the time, the company was based on Blakely Street.[3] The first machine was sold to Northrop Grumman, and later the company sold machines to Boeing and Textron Aerostructures.[3] In 1992, Electoimpact moved its headquarters to Mukilteo, Washington, where it is one of the largest employers in the city.[4][5] The company is a major supplier for Boeing and Airbus.[6] The company operates on five continents and maintains a 100-employee location in the United Kingdom which primarily supports the assembly of Airbus planes.[4][3]
Controversies
[edit]In 2015, Peter Zieve told employees that he would bring a $1,000 check to any wedding he attended, and until 2016, any employee who got married while working at the company received a $1,000 bonus payment, despite a state law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of marriage.[7][6] Employees are also given bonus payments for births of children.[6][5]
Electroimpact has also been criticized for its lack of diversity. In June 2016, the United States Department of Labor reported that 94.5% of the company’s 474 engineers were white.[7] Only three percent of engineers at the company are women.[6] Additionally, Peter Zieve has been accused of Islamophobia, harassment, and of fostering a hostile work environment on multiple occasions.[6][7][4] In April 2016, Zieve's anti-muslim comments resulted in the Muslim community calling for a boycott of Electroimpact.[8]
In March 2017, Electroimpact was criticized for its refusal to hire Muslims.[7][5] According to a complaint filed by the Attorney General of Washington, Bob Ferguson, CEO Peter Zieve "asked for a photo of all job applications and then screened out anyone who said they were Muslim or who he believed to be Muslim based on their name, photograph or national origin".[7][9] In 2016, an employee objected to an anti-Muslim statement sent by Zieve to the company email list and was told to leave the company.[7][6][9] Electroimpact agreed to pay a civil rights settlement of $485,000, that Peter Zieve would no longer take part in hiring for non-management positions or review employee complaints, and that the company would not base compensation on marital status.[7][5][10]
Awards
[edit]- Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance "Aerospace Company of the Year" (2014)[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Davis-Leonard, Ian; Brown, Andrea (October 11, 2020). "For some Snohomish County kids, a warehouse is a schoolhouse". Everett Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ "Zieve kicks off his "Keep Mukilteo a Small Town" campaign". Lynnwood Times. July 3, 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Bjorkman, Eileen (December 9, 2014). "How Electroimpact's unconventional founder created an aerospace giant". Everett Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ a b c Cornfield, Jerry (July 27, 2017). "The anti-mosque Mukilteo aerospace exec enters politics". Everett Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d Catchpole, Dan (March 24, 2017). "Attorney general: 'Outrageous' discrimination at Electroimpact". Everett Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Shapiro, Nina (April 29, 2016). "CEO makes fiery emails about Muslims part of the workday". Seattle Times. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Weise, Elizabeth (March 24, 2017). "CEO whose firm refused to hire Muslims pays $485,000 settlement". USA Today. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ Salyer, Sharon (April 19, 2016). "Electroimpact president to apologize for anti-mosque efforts". Everett Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Electroimpact to pay $485K over anti-Muslim harassment, retaliation claims". Washington State Office of Attorney General. March 24, 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ Shapiro, Nina (23 March 2017). "Aerospace firm Electroimpact agrees to pay $485K after AG finds 'shocking' discrimination against Muslims". The Seattle Times.
