Expert Details
Automotive Seating & Safety, Child Safety Seats, Seat Belts, Infant Restraint, Conversion Van Safety
ID: 107930
Michigan, USA
He has many years of practical experience in automotive body structure, occupant compartment integrity, protection of occupants, welded joint construction, energy management, and packaging of critical components. He has been involved with the engineering design of automobile body structures and is knowledgeable of related mechanical components and the tests used for evaluating automobile bodies.
Expert is knowledgeable in all areas of automotive seating involving seat structure, recliners, manual and power seat adjusters, head restraint, seat back locks, and related mechanical components. He has been active in seat safety and integrated structural seats with all-belts-to-seat. He has worked as a consultant and expert witness in product liability issues related to seating.
Product litigation support, Expert Witness - Complete case history available upon request. Expert has worked with General Motors Fisher Body, Delphi, General Motors Tier One Suppliers, General Motors Engineering. GM Legal Staff Consultant.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1985 | Degree: Ed.D. | Subject: Educational Leadership | Institution: Western Michigan University |
| Year: 1981 | Degree: M.A. | Subject: Management and Supervision | Institution: Central Michigan University |
| Year: 1970 | Degree: BSME | Subject: Mechanical Engineering | Institution: Wayne State University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1989 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Engineering Group Manager, Expert Witness, Safety Consultant | Department: Occupant Safety Restraints , Interior Crashworthiness, Seat Systems design |
Responsibilities:He worked on Automotive Interior Safety Seat Systems Design, Child Safety Seats, Occupant Safety Restraint Systems Rear Impact Analysis, Testing, Head Restraint, Seat back Structure. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1994 to 1998 | Employer: General Motors | Title: Consultant | Department: Legal Staff |
Responsibilities:Coordinate legal discovery for defense of product litigation cases primarily related to seating systems, recliners, occupant restraint and body structure crashworthiness. Seat design & rear-impact performance. Historical development of seating and occupant restraint systems, including expert witness, court hearings, trial & depositions. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1989 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Engineering Expert Witness, Design Consultant, Patent Evaluation Analysis | Department: Auto Seat Safety Systems & Mechanism Design, Validation Testing |
Responsibilities:Expert is responsible for seat adjuster design, seat system design, head restraints, Child Safety Restraints Rear Impact Analysis• Technical, Engineering, Administrative & Management contract services; • International Engineer Recruitment & Placement; • Engineering and Design of Seat & Interior Systems, Occupant Protection, Mechanical Components and Assembly, DFMEA & PFMEA and Product Cost Management; • Owner/Director- TEAM Academy of Mechanical Design – State of Michigan; • Patent Litigation Support & New Technology Development – Several patents issued; • Expert Witness & Consultant – Automotive Interior Safety, Seating & Child Restraints;; • Crashworthiness, Conversion & Specialty Vehicles, and after-market product safety. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1987 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:He provided seat safety litigation support, depositions, expert witness, and discovery documentation for both Defense & Plaintiff cases. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1990 | Employer: GM-Delphi/Modern Engineering | Title: Program Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsible for Interior Safety, Seating Systems• Engineering Project Center Management for GM Seating & Interior Systems. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1984 to 1988 | Employer: General Motors Corp. (GMC) | Title: Engineering Group Manager | Department: Inland Fisher Guide Division |
Responsibilities:He worked on seat and safety systems.• Administrator of Engineering Management Systems & Product Specifications. • Manager of New Product Development, Risk Assessment, DFMEA & PFMEA. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1971 to 1984 | Employer: GMC | Title: Engineering Group Manager | Department: Fisher Body Division |
Responsibilities:He worked on automotive crashworthiness, occupant safety, and interior safety.Occupant Protection and Safety Systems Department (1980-1984). • Active and passive restraint design. • Vehicle crashworthiness, rear impact, seat & interior safety. Product Research and Safety Department (1966 – 1971). • Development of FMVSS Performance Criteria – FMVSS 201,202,213,207 & 210. • GM Child Safety Seat Development – 1st General Motors’ Child Safety Seat (1967). • GM Rear-Facing Infant Car Safety Carrier Development (1968) • Anti-Submaring Seat Ramp – Child Booster Seat (1967). • FMVSS 201 Interior Crashworthiness Development (1966-1970) |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2001 to 2002 | Country / Region: Germany | Summary: Was an engineering consultant for Johnson Controls, Inc. at their Technical Center in Burschied, Germany. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Expert is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the American Society of Body Engineers, the Engineering Society of Detroit, the Pi Sigma Tau National Honorary Mechanical Engineers Fraternity, and the Sigma Iota Epsilon Professional Management Fraternity. |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| He is a Registered P.E. (Professional Engineer) in the State of Michigan. He is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Engineers. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
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| Author of three (3) automotive safety books. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| He has served as a consultant to the General Motors legal staff in defense of product litigation cases and discovery assistance. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| Expert has experience locating vendors of metal tubing and tube components (alternative components), aluminum die casting (some vendors in Europe), and automotive engineers (some in Germany, Poland, Romania, and Asia). |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| He is the owner of an engineering design firm (Team Resources, Inc.) serving many Tier One automotive suppliers in the Detroit area. He specializes in mechanical component design and seating systems. Conversion vehicle safety design & performance. Patent infringement of mechanical devices design and manufacture. |
Fields of Expertise
conversion van safety, child passenger safety, child restraint system, child transportation, car seat, infant restraint, automotive interior, baby safety, child passenger safety training, claim (patent), crashworthiness, device patent, occupant safety, patent infringement, product liability, safety design review, automobile safety system, occupant restraint system, active occupant-restraint system, passive occupant-restraint system, motor vehicle safety standard, automotive safety, automotive crashworthiness, automobile body, automotive impact protection, automotive seat belt, automotive seating, seat belt, automotive seat track, automotive head rest, undercoating, vehicle safety, impact analysis, accident causation, buzz, squeak, and rattle, automotive textile, automobile part standardization, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, automotive crash simulation, automotive bumper, automobile crash test, automobile crash detection, automotive design, automotive headlining material, automotive carpet, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automobile noise control, automobile noise, automobile corrosion, human impact biomechanics, automotive ergonomics, automobile manufacturing, automotive engineering design review, automotive accident, accident analysis, safety, automotive crash analysis, safety management, crash-energy management, automotive component, instrumented impact testing, safety device, automotive metal, accident, safety standard, safety engineering, product safety, crash analysis, automotive safety glass, automotive material, automotive industry, automotive engineering, automotive coating material, air bag, accident investigation