Our Founders
Dr. Mitch Ruda (1950 - 2013)
Within the optics community, Mitch Ruda was one of the "Greats". His name alone had a reputation that still resonates today, and almost everyone who knew Mitch has a story about him. He was one of those guys who would make a lifelong impression on you when meeting him for the first time. Mitch was a successful business owner, exceptional teacher and world class engineer. Dr. Ruda was widely known for his expertise in optical alignment, optical design, and optical testing.
Dr. Ken Castle
Dr. Castle has over 30 years of experience in the optics field covering optical design, optical engineering, radiometry, stray-light analysis, assembly and test. Ken is generally responsible for optical engineering and analysis, and ensuring that the mechanical department has the optical information necessary to move forward for each project.
Dr. Tilman Stuhlinger
Dr. Stuhlinger is highly accomplished in the areas of optical testing and optical design/analysis utilizing CODE V, ZEMAX, and ASAP/Rabet. Tilman developed an in-house methodology to better analyze and critique optical system sensitivities and tolerancing. A world class designer with revolutionary thinking, he is knowledgeable in fabrication techniques and capabilities.