A December 16, 2003 file photo shows Boeing's Stonecipher speaking to the media at a...

A December 16, 2003 file photo shows Boeing's Stonecipher speaking to the media at a news conference in Seattle. Boeing Co. fired Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher, saying his affair with a female executive broke company rules and damaged his leadership abilities. The top U.S. aircraft maker, whose ethics have been under scrutiny since it hired a former Air Force official who had admitted steering contracts to the company, said on Monday its board "asked for and received" Stonecipher's resignation. The Chicago-based company, a major defense contractor, said a third party told it about the affair, citing correspondence between Stonecipher and the woman, who was not identified. Stonecipher is pictured speaking to the media at a news conference in Seattle on December 16, 2003. REUTERS/Anthony P. Bolante