February 15, 2007 — Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) has promoted Robert W. Burrahm to senior program manager for the Office of Automotive Engineering. He began a three-year assignment in January as chief representative of the SwRI China Liaison Office in Beijing.
The liaison office opened in July 2003 to promote and coordinate the expanding automotive business of SwRI in China and throughout Asia. SwRI is also seeking opportunities for technical exchange and problem-solving services in a variety of areas in SwRI's engineering and physical sciences programs.
In 2005, the Institute established a joint venture with the state-owned China Automotive Technology and Research Center and formed the Tianjin SwARC Automotive Research Laboratory Co. Ltd. SwRI has been active in China since 1984 and continues to expand its projects in this important automotive market.
Burrahm's responsibilities include maintaining relations with existing clients and developing new business in China as well as coordinating ongoing project activities. He will also work closely with SwARC to help maintain SwRI's important partnership in China.
Burrahm has more than 34 years of experience in the automotive industry. From 1980 to 1994, Burrahm worked as a research scientist and manager at SwRI. During the 1990s, Burrahm gained extensive marketing experience as executive vice president and general manager of Garretson Equipment Company, a small manufacturer of gaseous fuel systems for small engines. He then became general manager of a strategic business unit at IMPCO Technologies, a large manufacturer of gaseous-fueled conversion equipment. Since returning to SwRI in 1998, Burrahm has served as a liaison between other departments and divisions helping to internally coordinate research and development efforts for the automotive and industrial engine markets.
Burrahm earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, Small Engine Technology Technical Committee and the Project Management Institute - Alamo PMI Chapter.
Contact Information for the SwRI Beijing Office:
Robert "Bob" W. Burrahm, PMP
Southwest Research Institute
Unit 1303, Tower 1
Beijing Landmark Towers
8 North Dongsanhuan Road
Chaoyang District
P.R. China
Telephone: 011-86-10-6590-6391
Fax: 011-86-10-6590-6392
The Office of Automotive Engineering oversees the technical expertise of SwRI's automotive technology divisions: the Fuels and Lubricants Research Division and the Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division. Both divisions are certified to ISO 9001:2000 "Quality Management Systems - Requirements," accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:1999 "General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories" and certified to ISO 14001:1996 "Environmental Management Systems." Also, both divisions have achieved Ford Tier 1 status for providing engineering services and have earned the Ford Q1 Quality Award.
For more information, visit chinaoffice.swri.org.
For more information contact Tracey M.S. Whelan at (210) 522-2256, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.