A New Addition to Speedmaster R&D

Ricardo, one of the newest and youngest members of the Speedmaster Research and Development team, is studying for his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

As Vice President of the Cal Poly Pomona Formula SAE team, Bronco Motorsports, Ricardo is responsible for drivetrain assembly design and captains the exhaust system programme.

"I designed the drivetrain assembly my first year on the team. I had to consider what final drive, differential, the plunging for the half shafts, and the hangars for the differential. I'm currently designing the exhaust system on the 2018 car. Having the opportunity of being part of the Speedmaster family is giving me the experience that many students do not get, and it puts me in a better standing than most students after I graduate." - Ricardo

People, Products, Approach

CEO Jason Kencevski has built Speedmaster's development model around three pillars: People, Products, and Approach. Bringing in emerging engineers like Ricardo is a direct expression of that framework.

"We want to empower young people in a supportive environment and give them the ability to design products that are SFI approved and even become a patented product one day. Innovation does not happen unless staff are free to express themselves, make mistakes and know that we all have confidence in the decisions they make." - Jason Kencevski, CEO

Learning From Experience

Ricardo will work from the Rialto, California facility under the direction of COO Jay Verduzco.

"It is extremely rewarding to lead in a company that allows individual growth and get industry recognition for it. One recent moment was in 2016 when I was voted one of SEMA's 35 Under 35. I now work towards helping one selected staff member per year achieve the same goal in hopes of continuing the legacy for Speedmaster." - Jay Verduzco, COO

With direct access to Sales Leader Loren Hill and the wider sales and customer service team, Ricardo is positioned to feed customer insights directly to Ron Smelt, Head of Global Research and Development - ensuring that product evolution is informed by the people who use them.

Looking Ahead to SEMA 2018

The R&D team is preparing new products for SEMA 2018, building on a record of nine SEMA awards in eight years.

About Speedmaster

Founded in 1979, Speedmaster is a vertically integrated performance company delivering complete, engineered performance systems across engines, drivetrain, and forced induction. With more than 500 employees across three continents and over 25,000 parts designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house, Speedmaster operates as a unified brand built on engineering precision, long-term thinking, and measurable results. Learn more at speedmaster79.com.