James R. Scapa, Chairman and CEO of Altair Engineering to Keynote at PLM Road Map™ 2011

CPDA, a CIMdata company, announces that that James R. Scapa, Chairman and CEO of Altair Engineering, will make a keynote presentation on “The Next Decade in Simulation: From Virtual Validation to Innovation Intelligence,” at PLM Road Map™ 2011. The keynote line-up also includes presentations by PTC’s Andrew Wertkin, IBM Rational’s Brett Hillhouse, Comet Solution’s Malcolm Panthaki, Siemens PLM Software’s Steve Bashada, Pendaran’s Dr. Hossein Nivi, Geometric Americas’ Joseph Sahiouni, Georgia Tech’s Dr. Chris Paredis, and HP’s Christian Verstraete. PLM Road Map™ 2011 will take place at The Inn at St. John's, outside of Detroit, Michigan, on October 4th and 5th.

Less than three decades ago, in the period between the start of the space race and the invention of the PC, the ingenuity of engineers was the primary force for improving the quality and reliability of products. Today, computer simulation has not only helped quicken the development process, it has completely revolutionized the engineering industry.

The art of finite element analysis (FEA) has evolved into a dependable computer-simulation science and its impact can be seen in the creation of everything from automobiles and airplanes to cell phones and golf clubs. Simulation is now in the driver’s seat, pushing product development timelines, creating innovative concept designs, and improving product quality and reliability along the way.

This presentation will take a look at how simulation has evolved in the product lifecycle and will identify a path for where it will go over the next decade, a path where CAE can transcend virtual validation and finally achieve simulation-driven innovation intelligence.

About James R. Scapa, President and CEO of Altair Engineering, Inc.

James R. Scapa brings more than 30 years of experience to his dual role of President and CEO of Altair Engineering, Inc., a title he has held since the company’s inception.

Founded in 1985, Altair empowers client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management, and visualization of business and engineering information. Privately held with more than 1,400 employees, Altair has operations throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific.

Jim successfully built the company to be a leading provider of product development consulting services, advanced engineering software, grid computing technologies, and business intelligence solutions. Today, the company has more than 3,800 corporate clients representing a broad range of industry verticals including automotive, aerospace, government and defense, heavy equipment, and consumer products. Altair also has a growing client presence in the life sciences, financial services, insurance, and energy markets.

Prior to establishing Altair, Jim served as an engineering consultant to the automotive industry, beginning his career with Ford Motor Company in 1978.

Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.