Ric Willard

Ric Willard currently serves as the Director of the Vehicle Regulation, Certification, and Compliance Department at Hyundai Kia America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) since January 2016, overseeing compliance with safety, environmental, and emissions standards. Prior experience includes a decade at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), culminating as the Head of Vehicle Safety and Emissions Compliance Department and previously serving as a Safety Defects Engineer/Federal Investigator at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Ric began a career in the automotive industry at Ford Motor Company as a Project Planner/System Engineer, where responsibilities included managing powertrain system design specifications. Educational qualifications comprise a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Engineering & Management from Clarkson University and an Associate of Science in Math & Science from Henry Ford College.