Professor Wright is prominent in the field, heads a prestigious department, and has very good industry contacts with Boeing Corp. and Ford. He is the nominated 'successor' of coauthor Edward Trent, whose book is a classic in the field.Wright, who was born in England and now resides in Berkeley, Calif., is professor of mechanical engineering and co-chairman of the Management of Technology Program at the University of California/Berkeley School of Engineering.He has written numerous articles for journals, conferences, and symposiums, as well as coauthored "Manufacturing Intelligence," with D.A. Bourne. In addition, he serves as a consultant and is involved in many professional organizations.