CenTiRe Welcomes New Leadership to Industry Advisory Board
The Center for Tire Research (CenTiRe) is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Wheeler at Hankook Tire as the new Chair of its Industry Advisory Board (IAB). Alongside him, Eric Pierce of Smithers, will serve as the Co-Chair. This dynamic leadership duo brings a wealth of experience and vision to CenTiRe, further solidifying its commitment to innovation and excellence in tire research.
New Chair: Robert Wheeler
As the Vice President for Hankook Tire and Technology, Robert has demonstrated exemplary leadership and profound expertise in the tire industry. He currently oversees tire virtual technology at Hankook’s America Technical Center. With 40 years of engineering and management experience, he specializes in prediction and measurement methods to quantify and enhance product vibration performance, the last 31 years in tire development. He has coauthored several technical publications on these topics contributing to advancing the industry’s understanding of tire dynamics and performance optimization. Previously, Wheeler led the technical center for 7 years, demonstrating his leadership capabilities and commitment to tire innovation. His educational background includes a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with cooperative work experience from the University of Akron. Beyond his professional roles, Wheeler actively participates in industry organizations. He has served on the CenTiRe industry advisory board for 10 years. He also serves on the advisory board for The Tire Society and previously served as of president of their executive committee. Additionally, he contributes to the advisory committee for the University of Akron’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. As a member of SAE, SEM, and ASME, he remains engaged in the broader engineering community.
New Co-Chair: Eric Pierce
Eric has been with Smithers MSE for 8 years and is the Principal Engineer covering the Smithers Winter Test Center in Brimley, Michigan, and Treadwell Research Park in Pearsall, Texas. He oversees engineering related to winter testing, wet traction, tire buffing, noise testing, on-vehicle testing, and quality. He has specific expertise in winter and wet traction testing, and has previously worked as a Lab Manager for the Center for Tire Research at Virginia Tech.
Eric is chairman for the ASTM F09.10 Tires Committee on Equipment, Facilities, and Calibration. He is a member of ISO Workgroup 8 for measuring snow and ice grip performance, the Industry Advisory Board for the Center for Tire Research, and the SAE Truck and Bus Military Industry Tire Task Force. He has also volunteered for the Tire Society Conference committee and served as a Session Chair. Eric earned his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and served in the US Navy, specializing in advanced electronics.
About CenTiRe
CenTiRe is dedicated to advancing tire technology through rigorous research and collaboration with industry leaders. The Industry Advisory Board plays a vital role in guiding CenTiRe’s strategic direction, ensuring that its research initiatives align with the evolving needs of the tire industry.
With Robert and Eric at the helm of the Industry Advisory Board, CenTiRe is poised to continue its trajectory of excellence and innovation. The Center looks forward to the invaluable contributions and insights that the new Chair and Co-Chair will bring, propelling CenTiRe towards new heights in tire research.
