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Exponent, Inc.

From Alfawiki
Exponent, Inc.
Company typePublic
IndustryEngineering consulting
PredecessorFailure Analysis Associates
FoundedApril 1967; 59 years ago (1967-04)
FounderAlan Stephen Tetelman, Bernard Ross, Marsh Pound, John Shyne, Sathya V. Hanagud
Headquarters
Menlo Park, California
,
United States
Area served
United States and international
Key people
Catherine F. Corrigan (CEO), Michael R. Gaulke (Chairman)
ProductsEngineering and scientific consulting services
Number of employees
Not specified
Websitewww.exponent.com

Exponent, Inc. is a U.S.-based consulting firm specializing in engineering and scientific disciplines, staffed by a diverse team of scientists, physicians, engineers, and business advisors spanning more than 90 areas of expertise. The firm maintains 20 offices across the United States along with five international branches.

Origins and Leadership

Failure Analysis Associates (FaAA) was established in April 1967 by Stanford professor Alan Stephen Tetelman alongside Bernard Ross, Marsh Pound, John Shyne, and Sathya V. Hanagud, launching with an initial investment of $500.

At that period, Bernard Ross held the position of engineering program manager at SRI International from 1965 to 1970. Tetelman tragically perished in the 1978 PSA Flight 182 accident. Following this, Ross assumed the presidency of FaAA. Both individuals were featured in the documentary "What Went Wrong," produced by the United States Information Service. Tetelman was recognized for his expertise in fracture mechanics and co-authored The Principles of Engineering Materials with Craig R. Barrett and William D. Nix.

Roger McCarthy served as FaAA’s CEO between 1982 and 1996 and as chairman from 1986 until 2005. He joined the company in 1978, became vice president in 1980, and was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2004.

Michael R. Gaulke held the CEO role from June 1996 through May 2009 and continues to act as chairman of the board. He started at Exponent in 1992 as executive vice president and CFO before ascending to president from 1993 to 2007. In recognition of his achievements, Gaulke was inducted into Oregon State University’s Engineering Hall of Fame in 2008.

Paul R. Johnston was CEO from May 2009 until May 2018 and served as president from 2007 to 2016. His tenure began at Exponent in 1981; he advanced to principal engineer by 1987 and vice president in 1996. Johnston co-wrote Structural Dynamics by Finite Elements (1987). Upon concluding his CEO duties in 2018, he transitioned to executive chairman.

Catherine F. Corrigan was appointed president in July 2016 after joining Exponent’s Philadelphia office in 1996. She progressed through roles including principal (2002), corporate vice president (2005), group vice president leading the Transportation Group, and became a member of the operating committee in 2012. Corrigan assumed the CEO position on May 31, 2018.

Corporate Formation

Initially organized as a partnership, Failure Analysis Associates incorporated in California in 1968 before reincorporating as Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. in Delaware in 1988.

In 1989, under McCarthy’s leadership, the company restructured under a holding entity named The Failure Group, Inc., which went public in 1990. The firm adopted the name Exponent, Inc. in 1998.

Operations

Exponent has contributed significantly to investigations involving high-profile events such as the 1993 Dateline NBC report on fuel tank fires in Chevrolet C/K trucks, controversies surrounding Consumer Reports’ Suzuki rollover safety tests, the Toyota vehicle recalls during 2009–2010, the American Airlines Flight 587 crash, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill incident. The firm was engaged by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to evaluate damage following the Oklahoma City bombing and was retained by NASA for inquiries into both the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986 and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster of 2003. In addition, Samsung enlisted Exponent’s expertise in 2017 to investigate thermal runaway problems affecting Galaxy Note 7 batteries.

Exponent maintains ISO 9001 certification for quality management systems alongside accreditations related to battery technology, energy storage solutions, and compliance testing standards.

Neutrality

Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of the analyses produced by the firm, particularly in relation to corporate denialism and generating reports favorable to industrial clients. For instance, in 2001, Exponent maintained that dioxins are not carcinogenic. Although allegations of conflicts of interest have surfaced, they have been contested. The confidentiality clauses in Exponent’s contracts mean that reports remain private until clients decide to make them public, enabling selective disclosure of positive findings and potentially fostering perceptions of partiality.

The Los Angeles Times highlighted that detractors argue Exponent crafts reports to support clients' public defense strategies. The company’s executive chairman dismissed this as an unfair accusation, emphasizing that they frequently present adverse results to clients, albeit without citing specific cases. In 2009, the Amazon Defense Coalition criticized an Exponent study commissioned by Chevron, pointing to overlapping board memberships between the two organizations. Additionally, the firm faced criticism for its role in aiding industry attempts to weaken chromium regulations.

Notable projects

A selection of significant engagements includes:


  • Chevrolet C/K
  • Suzuki v. Consumers Union
  • American Airlines Flight 587
  • Turkish Airlines Flight 981
  • Exxon Valdez
  • Oklahoma City bombing
  • Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
  • Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
  • 2009–2011 Toyota vehicle recalls
  • Drillship Seacrest
  • Alexander L. Kielland (platform)
  • Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse
  • Kobe earthquake
  • TWA Flight 800
  • Assassination of John F. Kennedy
  • James Dean motor vehicle accident
  • Collapse of the World Trade Center
  • Deflategate
  • MARCbot
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 7


Research areas

Exponent offers expertise across numerous disciplines and specialized centers, including:



External links

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