During more than half a century living in the States, I have come across power brokers in many fields, from the financial industry to law enforcement, congress, the medical establishment and more. In our industry, automotive, to be specific the world of brake system technology, I have come in contact, at times close and sometimes from a distance, with our own version of power brokers—with a distinct difference from all other forms of individuals holding and hanging on to power. One such individual that I have known over the decades is David Antanaitis except he is different.
David Antanaitis was born in New York City, New York but moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan at age 3. He and his brother were raised by their mother, a nurse in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at the University of Michigan. She somehow found the energy to work nights but still took time during the day to nurture the many curiosities of the two brothers. She helped them develop a strong appreciation of nature through many camping trips to state and national parks across much of the country. She also helped the boys develop a strong appreciation for science, history, and technology through trips to museums all over the country. It was perhaps numerous visits to Henry Ford’s Museum and its extensive automotive collection that planted the seed of what was to grow within David. Although his parents were separated, his father remained an important figure and inspiration in his life. David’s father, a professor at Lafayette college in Pennsylvania, managed to instill a strong interest in science and cultivated a strong sense of curiosity for how everything in the world works.
David is a product of the Ann Arbor school system, from preschool all the way through graduate school. He enrolled in a physics program in Univ. of Michigan (U of M), convinced that he would become a physicist but quickly realized that what he loved about physics was its application to real-world problems. That, combined with a passion for automotive led him to earn a BS and MS from U of M. in 1995 and 1997 respectively. David deeply appreciated the opportunities afforded at U of M to learn under Professors such as Tom Gillespie, who humored a class project on failure of analysis of a friend’s Tremec T-5 transmission that kept failing 3rd gear during rapid upshifts while drag racing; and J.R. Barber, well known for his research into Thermoelastic instability in brakes.
David studied internal combustion engines, ICE, in college extensively when he thought he would make a living of it. However, when a job opening in brakes at General Motors presented itself, he was so overjoyed at working for what was then, and still is, a “dream company” to work for. So, he grabbed the opportunity. David was under the impression that he would work on brakes for a while, then move onto something else, something different. Twenty-seven years later, he is still utterly fascinated by the mysteries of the brake system, perhaps in no small part because understanding them invokes literally every major engineering discipline that is known to man. He has worked in brakes since 1997, progressing through brake and slip control validation, brake system and brake component development, having become a Technical Specialist for brake corners and corner components. David is currently Technical Fellow for Brakes and Controls working on all things brake system related.
As an engineer, he has a profound and innate curiosity about how things work, and he is driven to understand the issues as deeply as possible. He enjoys reading and reviewing technical papers on many different topics and finds it particularly joyful when he sees connections between research in one field and another. David considers it central to his role at GM to learn everything he can and share the knowledge freely with his teammates – no question is trivial or inconsequential. David is intensely logical -- when faced with challenges or setbacks he immediately thinks of “why”—what is compelling or constraining the outcome, and how can it be influenced.
David credits Mr. Dave Ebert, one of his first bosses at GM, with instilling confidence and encouraging him to volunteer for SAE. He wrote his first technical paper in 2005 and has done so every year since then. He is deeply appreciative of his former boss Ken Wasmer and his current boss Jim Webster, for seeing past David’s outward shyness and to a “quiet leadership” within, where friendliness, approachability, clear communication, and free sharing of knowledge are valued in the organization. Their consistent support has enabled David to achieve things he never thought possible. He also developed an affinity in the science of tribology, taking early morning walks along the banks of Kent Lake, near the Milford Proving Ground, while reading the ground-breaking research of Dr. Seung Rhee and Dr. Georg Ostermeyer, among others. They peeled back layers of the seemingly incomprehensible mystery of friction and wear, exposing even more questions but at the same time making the subject understandable.
David strongly believes in a “work to live,” not “live to work” philosophy. Family and friends, hobbies, and personal time are all considered essential to David for a well-rounded life. He works hard for his employer giving 110% and in times of need on odd hours or weekends. Nevertheless, he believes in boundaries: vacation is vacation, family time is family time cultivating a life that allows one to give their very best in all endeavors, work included. Finding a balance that works for all aspects of life is, of course, a constant and ongoing challenge.
David has a lot to be proud of. The proudest of them all is having been recognized as a “Technical Fellow” at GM. This is a culmination of all his work in the field. He is profoundly grateful to all his colleagues, both within GM and in the industry at large, that helped make this possible. His work includes publishing 36 papers through SAE, number 37 to be presented at the 2024 Brake Colloquium. Earning 13 patents including 2 with production use, achieving certification as a Design for Six. Sigma Master Black Belt through GM, earning the Arch T. Colwell award and multiple “best paper” awards through SAE and many years of volunteering for SAE standard committees as chair, vice chair, and member. David has realized that engineering as a profession can be viewed as “solving really hard problems” – only companies with very hard problems to solve hire engineers. Leaning into this attitude and applying the simple combination of genuine interest in getting to the heart of the problem, and sheer determination, leaves few challenges unsolved.
David’s goal for the future is to continue to learn as much as possible and share it with all who may benefit. He’s hoping to retire in the role he is in now, in 10-15 years. He sees the transformation of the automotive industry in the most profound ways ever – with electrification, software defined vehicles, de-centralized braking and above all, the influence of AI.
David considers it to be very important to be intellectually curious, to want to understand things for the sheer joy of understanding them. Ask questions and seek the underlying truth constantly. It is also important to him to be humble – one’s next insight may come from a summer intern just starting in the field, or from a colleague completely outside of one’s field, or from someone in the grocery store checkout line.
Amongst David’s personal interests, he mostly enjoys spending time with his wife of 23 years, Debbie, and daughter Rebecca who is a 2nd year biomedical engineering student at the U of M. The family loves traveling and seeing things both familiar and new. David is a violinist at the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra since its inception in 1998. He loves cooking, a hobby that marries art and science to create things that almost everyone appreciates.
David Antanaitis, who I got to observe from a distance and at times participated in the same group meetings with, is considered by me as one of the industry knowledge brokers who draws everyone’s respect whether walking the hallways of industry gatherings or presenting a paper. The distinct difference between power brokers and a knowledge broker – in all other fields – is that while others want you to know what they can do to you, if things don’t go their way, someone like David is all about what he can do for you. That’s class!
Editor's note: We are seeking to highlight the professional journeys of individuals who have made significant contributions to Brake Technology or Business. Referrals are encouraged.
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