Exponent, Inc.

{{Infobox company

| name = Exponent, Inc.

| logo = Exponent logo.svg

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| former_name = Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. (1967–1988)
The Failure Group, Inc. (1989–1998)

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| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NASDAQ|EXPO}}|S&P 400 component}}

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| industry = Research

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| founded = {{Start date and age|1967|04}}, in Palo Alto, California, U.S.

| founders = Alan Stephen Tetelman
Bernard Ross
Marsh Pound
John Shyne
Sathya V. Hanagud

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| hq_location_city = Menlo Park, California

| hq_location_country = U.S.

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| key_people = Catherine F. Corrigan (CEO)

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| num_employees = 1,313 (December 30, 2022)

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Exponent, Inc. is an American engineering and scientific consulting firm. Exponent has a team of scientists, physicians, engineers, and business consultants which performs research and analysis in more than 90 technical disciplines. The company operates 20 offices in the United States and five offices overseas.

History

=Founding and leadership=

Failure Analysis Associates (FaAA) was founded in April 1967 by then Stanford University professor Alan Stephen Tetelman along with his colleagues Bernard Ross, Marsh Pound, John Shyne and Sathya V. Hanagud with $500 in capital.{{cite web|url= http://www.je.st/news/Exponent-Celebrates-39-Years-of-Engineering-Scientific-Excellence,5887.html|title=Exponent Celebrates 39 Years of Engineering & Scientific Excellence|publisher= www.je.st|accessdate= June 9, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://soliton.ae.gatech.edu/people/shanagud/resume.html|title=Prof. Sathya V Hanagud resume|publisher=Georgia tech|accessdate=June 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605161310/http://soliton.ae.gatech.edu/people/shanagud/resume.html|archive-date=June 5, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20079942,00.html|title=A California Firm Searches for a Cause in the Rubble of the Kansas City Hotel Disaster|publisher=People Magazine|accessdate=June 11, 2010}}

At the time of FaAA's founding, Ross was also an engineering program manager at SRI International (then the Stanford Research Institute) (1965–1970).{{cite web|url=http://www.exponent.com/bernard_ross/|title=Bernard Ross|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate= June 10, 2010}} While en route to the site of a Navy jet crash investigation, Tetelman was killed on September 25, 1978, in the PSA Flight 182 air crash over San Diego between a PSA jet liner and a private Cessna airplane that claimed the lives of 144 people. He was forty-two years old.{{cite web|url= http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb1j49n6pv&chunk.id=div00102&brand=calisphere&doc.view=entire_text|title=University of California: In Memoriam, 1980|publisher= University of California|accessdate= June 9, 2010}}

Ross assumed the presidency of Failure Analysis Associates after the accident. Ross and the late Tetelman were featured in a documentary film about the company titled "What Went Wrong" made by the United States Information Service and distributed worldwide.{{cite web|url=http://www.craneprocon.com/Media.html|title=Media Credits|publisher=www.craneprocon.com|accessdate=June 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030184848/http://craneprocon.com/Media.html|archive-date=October 30, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsXhLoHdjvw|title=WHAT WENT WRONG: MACHINE FAILURES 1977|publisher=YouTube|accessdate= June 9, 2010}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}} Tetelman was a world-renowned expert in fracture mechanics and co-authored a textbook titled "The Principles of Engineering Materials" with Craig R. Barrett (former CEO of Intel) and Stanford professor, William D. Nix, published by Prentice-Hall in 1973.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ZxRAAAAMAAJ|title=The Principles of Engineering Materials|publisher=Prentice-Hall|accessdate= June 10, 2010|isbn=9780137093946|year=1973}}

In 1982, Roger McCarthy assumed the leadership of FaAA, becoming chief executive officer in 1982 until 1996, and chairman of the board in 1986 until 2005. McCarthy joined FaAA in 1978 and became a director and vice-president in 1980.

In 2004, McCarthy was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.{{cite web|url=https://me-web2.engin.umich.edu/pub/news/newsitem?newsItemId=352|title=2nd Korybalski Lecture Features Roger McCarthy|publisher=University of Michigan|accessdate= June 11, 2010}}

Michael R. Gaulke served as the chief executive officer of Exponent Inc. from June 1996 to May 28, 2009. He is currently chairman of the board of directors. Mr. Gaulke served as president of Exponent Inc. from March 1993 to May 22, 2007. Mr. Gaulke first joined Exponent Inc. in September 1992 and served as its executive vice president and chief financial officer.

In 2008, Oregon State University inducted Mr. Gaulke into its Engineering Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://coe.engr.oregonstate.edu/oregonstater/citation.php?id=409|title=Michael R. Gaulke|publisher=Oregon State University|accessdate=June 11, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121210102450/http://coe.engr.oregonstate.edu/oregonstater/citation.php?id=409|archivedate=December 10, 2012}}

Paul R. Johnston was the chief executive officer at Exponent Inc. from May 28, 2009 – May 31, 2018. Johnston was president of Exponent Inc. from May 2007 until July 2016. Johnston joined Exponent in 1981 and served as its Principal Engineer since 1987 and vice president since 1996.{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=6272277|title=Paul R. Johnston|publisher=Business Week|accessdate=June 11, 2010}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Johnston has co-authored a book titled "Structural Dynamics by Finite Elements" published by Prentice-Hall in 1987.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JLdmQgAACAAJ|title=Structural Dynamics by Finite Elements|publisher=Prentice-Hall|accessdate=June 11, 2010|isbn=9780138535087|year=1987}} On May 31, 2018, Johnston stepped down from the position of chief executive officer to be an executive chairman.{{Cite news|url=https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Exponent,+Inc.+(EXPO)+Names+Catherine+Corrigan+CEO+and+Paul+R.+Johnston+as+Executive+Chairman/14258361.html|title=Exponent, Inc. (EXPO) Names Catherine Corrigan CEO and Paul R. Johnston as Executive Chairman|work=StreetInsider.com|access-date=2018-08-16}}

Catherine F. Corrigan was named president of Exponent, Inc. on July 29, 2016. Corrigan joined Exponent's Philadelphia office in 1996, was promoted to principal in 2002 and to corporate vice president in 2005. Corrigan was promoted to group vice president to lead the Transportation Group and joined the company's operating committee in 2012.{{Cite web | url=http://www.exponent.com/newsevents/press-releases/2016/07/catherine-corrigan-named-president | title=Exponent Appoints Dr. Catherine Corrigan to President}}

On May 31, 2018, Corrigan was appointed to chief executive officer.

=Incorporation=

Failure Analysis Associates was founded as a partnership, incorporated in 1968 in California and reincorporated in Delaware as Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. in 1988.

In 1989, McCarthy reincorporated Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. in Delaware under a holding company, The Failure Group, Inc. and took The Failure Group, Inc. public in 1990. The company changed its name to Exponent, Inc. in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://sec.edgar-online.com/exponent-inc/10-k-annual-report/2012/02/27/section3.aspx|title=10-K SEC Filing|publisher=sec.edgar-online.com|accessdate= June 10, 2010}}

Company activities

Exponent has been involved in the investigations of many well known incidents including the now debunked report aired on Dateline in 1993 about fires and explosions involving sidesaddle fuel tanks on Chevrolet C/K trucks, the disputed Consumer Reports finding on Suzuki roll-over safety,Hakim, Danny. [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/business/suzuki-resolves-a-dispute-with-a-consumer-magazine.html "Suzuki Resolves a Dispute With a Consumer Magazine"], The New York Times, 9 July 2004. the 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls, the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 among many other aviation accidents, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill.{{cite web|date= February 18, 2010|last= Bensinger|first= Ken|authorlink= |author2=Vartabedian, Ralph|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-feb-18-la-fi-toyota-exponent18-2010feb18-story.html|title= Toyota calls in Exponent Inc. as hired gun|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date= March 8, 2010}} The Federal Emergency Management Agency also hired Exponent to examine the Oklahoma City bombing damage aftermath, specifically the damage to the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. NASA hired Exponent in 1986 to determine the causes of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

In 2003, Exponent was hired by the U.S. government to investigate the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.{{cite web|date= March 8, 2010|last= Thomas|first= Ken |authorlink= |author2=Manning, Stephen|url= http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TOYOTA_RECALL_ELECTRONICS?SITE=CAVEN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT|title= Toyota disputes critic who blames electronics |publisher= Associated Press|accessdate= March 8, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} In 2017, Samsung hired Exponent to determine cause of thermal runaway of the Note 7 Phone batteries.{{Cite web|url=https://news.samsung.com/global/infographic-galaxy-note7-what-we-discovered|title=[Infographic] Galaxy Note7: What We Discovered|website=news.samsung.com|language=en|access-date=2018-08-16}}

Exponent has ISO 9001 accreditation, indicating independently audited and certified quality management practices. The company also is certified for battery, energy storage and compliance testing.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100304092815/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=EXPO:US EXPONENT INC (EXPO:US): Company Profile - BusinessWeek]

Neutrality

The quality and neutrality of reports produced by the company have been called into question on various controversial topics.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} Common points of critique include corporate denialism and that, for industrial clients, only favorable reports are seemingly produced. Examples include Exponent arguing in 2001 that dioxins do not cause cancer.{{cite journal |last1=Hardell |first1=Lennart |last2=Walker |first2=Martin J. |last3=Walhjalt |first3=Bo |last4=Friedman |first4=Lee S. |last5=Richter |first5=Elihu D. |date=March 2007 |title=Secret ties to industry and conflicting interests in cancer research |journal=American Journal of Industrial Medicine |volume=50 |issue=3 |pages=227–233 |doi=10.1002/ajim.20357 |pmid=17086516|doi-access=free }} These questions of conflict of interest have been disputed.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}} The type of work that Exponent performs is contractually highly confidential—until their clients decide otherwise. Thus, while Exponent may issue reports that are both favorable and unfavorable to its clients, Exponent's clients have the option of releasing only the favorable reports, creating the appearance of bias.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "Exponent's research has come under fire from critics, including engineers, attorneys and academics who say the company tends to deliver to clients the reports they need to mount a public defense." Exponent's executive chairman responded that such criticism is a "cheap shot", responding "Do we tell our clients a lot of what they don't want to hear? Absolutely." but that they also often come up with results not favoring their clients. No concrete examples were however provided for the paper. In 2009, the Amazon Defense Coalition criticized an Exponent study commissioned by the energy company Chevron that dumping oil waste didn't cause cancer because Chevron's largest shareholder was a director on Exponent's board. The firm was also criticized for assisting industry efforts to reduce chromium regulation.{{cite journal | pmc = 1402271 | pmid=16504102 | doi=10.1186/1476-069X-5-5 | volume=5 | title=Selected science: an industry campaign to undermine an OSHA hexavalent chromium standard | year=2006 | journal=Environ Health | pages=5 | last1 = Michaels | first1 = D | last2 = Monforton | first2 = C | last3 = Lurie | first3 = P | issue=1 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2006EnvHe...5....5M }}

Notable projects

Partial listing of notable projects:

Chevrolet C/K{{cite web |url=http://wadsworth.com/philosophy_d/templates/student_resources/0534605796_harris/cases/Cases/case49.htm |title=Case: Side Saddle Gas Tanks |publisher=Wadsworth.com |date= |accessdate=2009-05-07 |archive-date=2007-12-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211180325/http://wadsworth.com/philosophy_d/templates/student_resources/0534605796_harris/cases/Cases/case49.htm |url-status=dead }}
Suzuki v. Consumers Union{{cite web|date=April 12, 1996|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-12-fi-57907-story.html|title=Suzuki Sues Magazine for Critical Samurai Review|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date= June 11, 2012}}
American Airlines Flight 587{{cite web|date=November 12, 2001|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/transportation/july-dec01/queens_11-12.html|title=Airliner Crash|publisher=PBS|accessdate= June 10, 2012}}
Turkish Airlines Flight 981
Exxon Valdez{{cite web|url=http://www.asceslo.org/newsletter/2001-04.htm|title=MEET THE MEMBER - Russ Westmann|publisher=American Society of Civil Engineers|accessdate=June 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055637/http://www.asceslo.org/newsletter/2001-04.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.exponent.com/prince_william_sound|title=Exxon Valdez Oil Spill|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate= June 10, 2012}}
Oklahoma City bombing{{cite web|title=Oklahoma City Bombing|url=http://www.exponent.com/disaster_in_oklahoma_city-The-Bombing-of-the-Alfred-P-Murrah-Federal-Buidling|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate= June 10, 2012}}
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster{{cite web|title=Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster|url=http://www.exponent.com/space_shuttle|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate= June 10, 2012}}
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster{{cite web|title=Exponent: The Company That Failure Built|work=Failure Magazine|url=http://failuremag.com/feature/article/exponent_the_company_that_failure_built|publisher=failuremag.com|accessdate=June 10, 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514142417/http://failuremag.com/feature/article/exponent_the_company_that_failure_built/|archivedate=May 14, 2013}}
2009–2011 Toyota vehicle recalls

Drillship Seacrest
Alexander L. Kielland (platform)
Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse{{cite web|title=Kansas City Hyatt Regency|url=http://www.exponent.com/kansas_city_hyatt_collapse|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate= June 10, 2012}}
Kobe earthquake
TWA Flight 800
Assassination of John F. Kennedy{{cite web|title=Affidavit by the CEO of Failure Analysis Associates|url=http://www.assassinationweb.com/mcc.htm|publisher=assassinationweb.com|accessdate= June 11, 2012}}{{cite web|title=JFK Assassination|url=http://www.exponent.com/oswald|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate=June 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401022603/http://www.exponent.com/oswald/|archive-date=2013-04-01|url-status=dead}}
James Dean motor vehicle accident{{cite web|title=Multimedia|url=http://www.exponent.com/multimedia|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate=June 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525102058/http://www.exponent.com/multimedia/|archive-date=2012-05-25|url-status=dead}}
Collapse of the World Trade Center{{cite web|title=World Trade Center|url=http://www.exponent.com/world_trade_center|publisher=Exponent, Inc|accessdate= June 10, 2012}}
Deflategate{{cite web |url=https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/investigative-and-expert-reports-re-footballs-used-during-afc-championsh.pdf |title=Investigative report concerning footballs used during the AFC Championship game on January 18, 2015 |last1=Wells |first1=Theodore V. Jr. |last2=Karp |first2=Brad S. |last3=Reisner |first3= Lorin L. |date=May 6, 2015 |website= |publisher= |accessdate=May 8, 2015 }}
MARCbot
Samsung Galaxy Note 7{{cite web|title=[Infographic] Galaxy Note7: What We Discovered|url=https://news.samsung.com/global/infographic-galaxy-note7-what-we-discovered|publisher=Samsung|accessdate= Aug 15, 2018}}