Dr. Ben Thacker named SwRI chief operating officer

(Press-News.org) SAN ANTONIO — February 2, 2026 — Southwest Research Institute’s (SwRI) Board of Directors has named Dr. Ben Thacker, P.E., chief operating officer (COO). Thacker previously served as the vice president of SwRI’s Mechanical Engineering Division.

In his new role, he directs the operations of the Institute’s technical divisions and administers SwRI’s internal research program in addition to other resources and programs. Thacker also joins the Institute’s executive team, which includes President and CEO Adam Hamilton, P.E., Vice President - Finance and CFO Beth Rafferty and General Counsel Mónica Trollinger.

“Ben is an excellent leader, and I am thrilled to have him join the executive team,” Hamilton said. “He is committed to serving our staff and clients while driving the Institute’s mission and purposes forward.”

Thacker joined SwRI in 1988. Across nearly four decades at SwRI, Thacker has contributed to a wide array of research, including the development of the NESSUS® probabilistic analysis software to assess the reliability of structural/mechanical components and systems. He also led a long-running project for Los Alamos National Laboratory to develop advanced reliability prediction methods and model validation procedures to support simulation-based certifications for the nation’s nuclear stockpile.

He also supported NASA’s Return to Flight program following the catastrophic loss of Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.  He led the development of a probabilistic debris transport model and software tool to predict the probability of critical damage to the orbiter’s leading edge and tile, which was key to SwRI’s role in determining the cause of the accident.

He led the Materials and Fluids Engineering Department before his promotion to vice president in 2021. Under his leadership, the division grew to more than 400 staff members with a revenue of $135 million.

“SwRI has been my professional home for over 37 years, and I’ve had the privilege of developing as both an engineer and leader,” Thacker said. “As COO, my goals will focus on strengthening our operational foundation to support continued innovation and ensure that our staff have the resources and environment they need to excel. I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve an organization that makes such meaningful contributions to our clients and community.”

Thacker has a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, all in civil engineering. In 2017, he was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas.

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