As a customer, I was welcomed to our suppliers’ workplaces around the globe. The problem was time. Regardless of the extent of travels, my day-to-day work needed constant attention, from program managers, to department heads, to law departments, directors, VPs, or even flying on a helicopter with the company CEO. On a damp and cloudy Michigan day, I drove to Wolverine, a supplier, met my contact in the lobby to facilitate my pass-through and walked all the way to the lab where I met
Dr. Abdul-Hafiz Afaneh for the first time.
Abdul-Hafiz was born in and raised in Palestine. The fifth child in a six-sibling family. His father had olive groves and managed their rental properties while his mother was busy looking after the family’s six children. He comes from a close knit family where education is highly valued. During his childhood, no electronic devices or toys were available, so the kids learned to build their own toys. Among other things, his dad was a handy man and he focused on raising his children to be able to do many things without of course ignoring their school work. Working with tools at an early stage of his life increased Abdul-Hafiz’s interest in all things mechanical.
After having completed his elementary, middle and high school in Palestine, he enrolled in Jordan University where he received a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. Abdul-Hafiz then earned his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, USA. During his graduate study he focused on solid mechanics with a concentration in Non-Linear Vibration. His distinguished Professor R. Ibrahim at Wayne University taught him to start with the physical meaning of basic science before diving deep into research.
Abdul-Hafiz 'aim was to work at university as a professor, which is why he spent two and a half years as a Postdoctoral Fellow conducting research on Random Vibration. However, he was disappointed to learn that the university cares more about how much funds one brings in than fundamental research and teaching. Facing that reality, he decided to work in the industry and keep teaching part-time.
He started as a principal engineer working for Borg-Warner. He began modeling the entire powertrain system to address the torsional vibration. He then moved to Bosch where he established a small team to handle electrical motors NVH, then on to the brake system at Bosch where he led the Brake NVH department. Abdul-Hafiz spent a short period at GE Aviation as sub-section manager before joining Wolverine as the director of NVH. In less than two years, he became the VP of Global Engineering. His responsibilities include, but are not limited to, leading the Global Engineering teams in NVH development for brakes, non-brakes, sealing applications, and material development. He considers himself lucky to have learned and contributed so much to these companies, enhancing his educational background with real world applications without losing the chance to keep learning in his area of expertise. Dr. Afaneh has published more than 12 technical papers, an article in Auto Focus Asia-Issue 3, and co-authored several patents.
Working and leading technical people has inspired Abdul-Hafiz to keep learning. That is his professional drive. Having been involved in technical field leading engineers he enjoys growing professionals with a business focus. He considers integrity the most important value in a working relationship. To Abdul-Hafiz, life is full of challenges and setbacks; the best is to learn from these events and transfer them into experiences.
Amongst the influential people and books he can mention many. But one person stands out–George Caplea in Wolverine who taught him the effective way to sell a product and establish solid customer relations. During his tenure at Bosch, he considered himself lucky to attend many valuable training sessions in leadership and lean product development. Among them he still remembers and values The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, one of the books he still admires even though he seems to have read it in another life!
Work time for work and home time for the family except during an emergency. If you are effective at your job, you will have the balance. He recalls a time during an emergency he led a team for two months to resolve an issue, hence preventing OE line shutdown. He is proud that wherever he worked, he built a great team that helped him to achieve the department, and ultimately the company’s goals, effectively.
After nearly three decades in the automotive and aerospace business, he is thinking of the future mostly as a consultant. He likes to keep monitoring the future of brakes for EV and how the new NVH challenges may be addressed. Meanwhile, he continues to learn and believe in his ability to bring about a better job than before.
Abdul-Hafiz likes to spend time with his four adult, successful children. He enjoyed watching all of them build their professional careers. He gets lost in their conversation about trauma surgery, OB/GYN, psychology and sleep therapy. The one that he connects easily to is a program manager in the automotive industry. He enjoys nature. Also, he likes to read. Walking in nature or even working in the yard provides him with enjoyable physical and mental activities.
I sat with Dr. Afaneh and my contact in his office for less than ten minutes. He had prepared no presentation for my visit. He briefly described what they do in their Noise Vibration and Harshness, NVH center. It was an alphabet to him and much appreciated by me. He took me for a walking tour of the Tech Center. I liked the fact that not all dynamometers were running. Most places make sure they do even if a trivial test is going on just to impress the visitor! He explained in detail the qualifying process for their product, and I believed it because I believed the man. As I drove back to my office, not staying for lunch, I wondered if there is a word to describe this very humble man, Dr. Abdul-Hafiz Afaneh. Yes, it was: integrity…
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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