Consumer Reports names tyre test director

ERJ staff report (TB)

Yonkers, New York -US consumer group, Consumer Reports has promoted Jennifer Stockburger to director of operations at its Auto Test Center in Colchester, Connecticut.

Ms. Stockburger's duties will include day-to-day running of the center, Consumer Reports said, and being responsible for the company's tyre and child car seat test operations.

Consumer Reports said it also promoted Jake Fisher, a senior engineer, to run all the vehicle testing operations at the Auto Test Center.

Mr. Fisher will oversee the team of personnel who evaluate and rate some 80 cars and trucks annually for the organisation. He has worked for the company since 1999.

"We are fortunate to have engineers like Jake and Jennifer who will work tirelessly to help consumers make smart car-buying choices and help improve safety on the nation's roadways," said Liam McCormack, vice president and technical director, Consumer Reports.

Ms. Stockburger began her career at Consumer Reports in 2000, coming from the Walbro Corp., a major supplier of fuel delivery systems, as an engineer. Priot to that she worked as a test engineer at Pirelli Armstrong Tire Corp. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Connecticut at Stoors and has been a certified child passenger safety technician since 2001.

Mr. Fisher has worked in all areas of vehicle testing and also in vehicle reliability analysis. He will now oversee a team of dedicated automotive engineers, statisticians and support staff, Consumer Reports said.

Before coming to Consumer Reports, Mr. Fisher worked for General Motors Corp. as a development engineer. He holds two degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in business administration. He has built two racecars for use in his spare time, a Toyota MR2 for use on road courses and a Nissan 240SX for drifting.

Consumer Reports' former director of automotive testing, David Champion, left the organisation in August to pursue other opportunities, the company reported.

Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center is the world's largest independent product-testing organisation, with more than 50 labs, an auto test center and survey research center.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)