2014 Engineering Leader Under 40: Chris Lake

Vice President of Engineering, Chief Engineer; RedViking; Plymouth, Mich.

By CFE Media September 15, 2014

Chris Lake, 38
Vice President of Engineering, Chief Engineer
RedViking
Plymouth, Mich.

Education: BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan

Chris Lake has helped to change the world of military helicopter testing for the U.S. With the design, build, and implementation of the Transmission Test System (U.S. Patent 8,758,184), he has ensured accurate, repeatable gearbox testing for enhanced troop safety. His designs also dramatically improve the operator work environment, creating ergonomic machine access and safe machine interactions. In his current role at RedViking, Chris manages 40 mechanical, software, and controls engineers, as well as program and project managers, technical writers, and university interns. Chris is widely recognized for his contributions to the world of multimodel transmission and gearbox testing, and has spoken at conferences nationwide.

Chris met his wife, Amanda, when he was 14 years old, and they will celebrate their 15-year wedding anniversary this fall. He worked for Amanda’s father and started his engineering career at age 14. Chris and Amanda have a 5-year-old daughter with juvenile diabetes, and together they have worked to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Why choose this career path?
Chris has always had a hands-on, problem-solving personality. He has always loved building things, and started working with machinery at a young age. He enjoyed the experience and the challenge of engineering then, and continues to love it today.

Visit the Engineering Leaders Under 40 page.


Author Bio: Since its founding in 2010, CFE Media and Technology has provided engineers in manufacturing, commercial and industrial buildings, and manufacturing control systems with the knowledge they need to improve their operational efficiency. CFE delivers the right information at the right time around the world through a variety of platforms.