SAE International Announces CEO Termination

WARRENDALE, Pa., May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SAE International's Board of Directors today announced the dismissal of Dr. David Schutt from his role as CEO. The decision, reached yesterday and voted on unanimously by the board, follows a formal investigation that revealed behaviors and actions inconsistent with the organization's code of conduct, culture and values.

In addition to his capacity as CEO of SAE International ("SAE"), Dr. Schutt was also the president of SAE's affiliate organizations, including SAE Industry Technologies Consortia ("SAE ITC®") and Performance Review Institute ("PRI").

"While we respect Dr. Schutt's long tenure with our organization, we must state unequivocally that behaviors incompatible with our policies and culture will not be tolerated under any circumstances or at any level," said SAE International President and Chair of the Board, Carla Bailo. "We are committed to ensuring business continuity while we search for a new chief executive who will be a champion for our organizations and values."

In the interim, Carla Bailo and Greg Bradley, SAE's Chief Legal Officer, will serve as co-CEOs, with support from the organization's Executive Leadership Council. Richard Wilkie, Chief Information Officer, and Elizabeth Jones, Chief Human Resources Officer, will also partner closely to drive the execution of the organization's strategy and people and process management.

Jay Solomond will continue in his capacity of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of PRI, and Fabian Koark will continue in his capacity of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of SAE ITC®. Brian Trybend will continue as CFO.

"As a leader in this industry, our conduct ? both as individuals and as an organization ? is paramount," added Bailo. "We are committed to providing a safe, transparent and respectful workplace where our employees around the world can share their passion, talents and ideas to serve the needs of our diverse members, customers and stakeholders."

About SAE International^®
SAE International (SAE) is a global organization committed to advancing mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. By engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers, we connect and educate mobility professionals to enable safe, clean, and accessible mobility solutions. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including award-winning programs like A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Seriestm. More at http://www.sae.org.

About SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (SAE ITC®)
SAE ITC is an affiliate of SAE International. The SAE ITC specializes in establishing and managing consortia by providing proven processes, tools, and resources. SAE ITC enables public, private, academic and government organizations to connect and collaborate in neutral, pre-competitive forums thus empowering the setting and implementation of strategic business improvements in highly engineered industries globally. http://www.sae-itc.com.

About PRI
The Performance Review Institute (PRI) is a not-for-profit trade association started in 1990. PRI is a global administrator of industry-managed critical process accreditation programs focused on improving process and quality with collaboration among stakeholders in industries where safety and quality are shared goals. http://www.p-r-i.org

SOURCE SAE International