Tulsa Regional Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal said he was encouraged that Lawson commended the Tulsa plant. Neal added that discussions about divestitures are a fact of corporate life, but that he was optimistic. "In the event the company sells its Tulsa operations, the chamber, city of Tulsa and other workforce and economic development partners across the region will remain engaged in encouraging buyers to continue investment in the Tulsa operations and our highly skilled aerospace and manufacturing workforce currently working in the plant," Neal said. Spirit AeroSystems operates out of the former Air Force Plant No. 3 at Tulsa International Airport. The company was formed in 2005 as a spinoff from Boeing, which had operated the Tulsa site. Prior to that, Air Force Plant No. 3 was occupied, at various times, by Douglas Aircraft, McDonnell Douglas and Rockwell. Recent rumors have focused around the complete buyout of Spirit.