Lunch Speakers

Wednesday, January 26
12:30 - 2:00 PM
Room 145 AB

Stephen Power
Staff Reporter
The Wall Street Journal

Stephen Power is a staff reporter in the Washington bureau of The Wall Street Journal, where he covers energy and environmental policy. Steve joined the paper in 2000 and initially covered transportation, including the Firestone tire recall and the federal takeover of airport security after the Sept. 11 attacks. From 2004 until 2008, Steve wrote about the unraveling of the DaimlerChrysler merger and corporate intrigue at Volkswagen as the paper's European automotive correspondent, based in Germany. Among the big stories he's covered recently are the BP oil spill and President Obama's unsuccessful effort to pass climate legislation. Steve is a 1994 graduate of the University of the University of Virginia and a past recipient of the Sandy Hume Memorial Award for Excellence in Political Journalism, given by the National Press Club.

Thursday, January 27
12:30 - 2:00 PM
Room 145 AB

David Champion
Sr. Director of Automotive Testing
Consumer Reports

David Champion, an engineer with extensive experience in automotive testing, design and development, has been in charge of Consumer Reports Auto Test facility since June 1997. As senior director, Champion oversees CR's extensive auto, tire and child seat testing operations at the department's 327-acre site in East Haddam, Conn., the largest independent consumer automobile testing center in the world. CR's Auto Test campus is a state-of-the-art facility with specially paved surfaces, straight- and winding-road courses, an off-road course, the latest computerized test equipment, and an expert staff. The department buys and tests around 80 cars and trucks a year.

Results of those auto tests are presented monthly in Consumer Reports magazine and online at www.ConsumerReports.org. The test results are also published in a series of special interest automotive publications including the annual "New Car Preview," Used Car Buying Guide," and "Best & Worst SUVs, Trucks Minivans, Wagons." The expert reports are also made available through CR's New and Used Car Buying Kits. Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Issue, published in April and filled with auto content, is traditionally the top-selling issue of the year.

Prior to joining Consumer Reports, Champion was a senior engineer with Nissan Motor Corp. in Gardena, Calif. While at Nissan, he also worked as a model-line engineer, responsible for reporting vehicle problems to Nissan design and production groups for ultimate resolution. Earlier, Champion worked for Land Rover of North America, where he supervised the startup of that company's test facility in Phoenix, Ariz. and then managed the facility. Earlier still, he was a principal development engineer with Land Rover UK, Ltd., where he led a new-vehicle development group. Champion began his career in his native England as a development engineer with Lucas Electrical Ltd., a maker of electrical systems.

Champion, whose father worked for a truck manufacturer in England and then as a tire engineer with Goodyear, grew up around auto test tracks. He received a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and Metal & Material Science in 1977 from the University of Aston in Birmingham, England.

His first car was a 1959 Austin Seven (Mini).

Luncheon Cost: $50
All paid SAE Members and Non-Member categories will receive one (1) lunch ticket for Wednesday and Thursday luncheons with their registrations.
Government Employee Tickets are $20 (one ticket per Government Employee). Government ID required.
Students admitted at no charge (one ticket per student). Full-time ID required.