Gregory Lynn “Greg” Shank, who was a key figure in the development of specifications for heavy-duty diesel engine oils, died Dec. 23 at the age of 69. He was employed at Volvo Group Trucks Technology in Hagerstown, Maryland, where he held roles including executive staff engineer; manager of fluids technology; manager of engine product development; and coordinator, lubricants, fuels, coolants and filtration.
Along with Jim McGeehan, formerly of Chevron, and the late Pat Fetterman of Infineum, Shank contributed to the development of heavy-duty oil specs for trucks. His primary focus was on the need to protect Mack and later Volvo engines, said McGeehan. “Consequently he got Mack/Volvo to support these engine tests throughout the life of all categories since 1988 when API CE was introduced with the Mack T-6 test,” he added.
Shank was a member of ASTM International’s Heavy-duty Engine Oil Classification Panel and chairman of the Engine Manufacturers Association, where he collaborated with members of oil companies and additive and base oil suppliers to develop heavy-duty engine oil formulations. “He would visit fleets and field test sites to understand their needs and concerns. He understood the industry concerns and could articulate their needs to our panel,” said McGeehan.
Shank is survived by daughter Michelle S. McCullough and her husband Christopher, grandchildren Rory, Connie and Lindsey McCullough, brother Rick Shank and mother- and father-in-law John and Peggy Anderson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly Jean Anderson Shank, in 2016.