PhAST Power Lunch - Strategies for Surviving a Downturn

Tuesday, June 2; 12:30 p.m–1:30 p.m.
Organizers: Chris Myatt, Founder and CEO, Precision Photonics Corporation; Milton Chang, Managing Director, Incubic

Attend the Power Lunch and participate in high-level discussions with industry leaders who will provide insight on how to navigate through a challenging market. You will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with experienced leaders representing different markets who will share their wisdom on surviving and growing a business during difficult economic times. In addition, the leaders will share their insights on how to strategically position yourself in an uncertain market.
 
An interactive question and answer period will follow the table discussions. Registrants can submit questions in advance to be discussed during this time by all of the industry leaders. Find out how manage your company and your job during an economic downturn, stay connected to company revenues for job security, and seek new business ventures. Registrants should send questions to cam@osa.org.
 
Special Student Offer – There are a limited number of student seats available for $20 on a first come, first served basis for student members of the sponsoring societies of the conference (APS, IEEE/LEOS and OSA). The $20 tickets are available to students registered for the conference. Once the student tickets are filled, you can still attend this valuable session.
 
Each of the ten industry leaders hosts a table, so space is limited. Box lunch included. Regular tickets are $40 each and advance registration is required.

Register online via CLEO/IQEC Registration.

Industry Leaders

	Dr. Robert P. Breault, Chairman and Founder, The Breault Research Organization, Inc. Dr. Robert Breault is recognized as one of the leading experts in stray light analysis and suppression. He did the stray light analysis of the Hubble telescope and many others. Breault is the author and co-author of two chapters in the Handbook of Optics, and chapters in other books. He received his B.S. in mathematics from Yale and his M.S. and Ph.D. in optical sciences from the University of Arizona. Dr. Breault is a Fellow of SPIE and has held the title of Chairman of the Arizona Optics Industry Association since 1992.
	Alex Cable, President and Founder, Thorlabs, Inc. Alex Cable is the president and founder of Thorlabs, Inc. Founded in 1989, Thorlabs is a leading manufacturer of laser and fiber optic components and instrumentation. Thorlabs has facilities in the U.S., Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden and Japan, with more than 500 employees worldwide. Mr. Cable earned his B.S. in physics at Rutgers University and did graduate work in Materials Science at Stevens Institute. Before founding Thorlabs, he worked with Nobel Prize winning Physicist Steve Chu and his group at Bell Labs on the seminal "optical molasses" atom trapping project.  Mr. Cable is a founder and board member of photonics companies around the world, including Boston Micromachines, Menlo Systems, GmbH, and Stratophase Ltd.
	Michael J. Morris, President, SpectrEcology Mike Morris is best known as the founder of Ocean Optics. He started the company with an SBIR grant, working from his garage in Dunedin, Florida. Mr. Morris grew Ocean Optics into a world leader in fiber optic spectroscopy, having sold more than 150,000 of the world's first miniature spectrometers for thousands of applications. He successfully sold Ocean Optics in 2004 to Halma plc. Mr. Morris is currently building his second business, Spectrecology. The new firm specializes in IR spectrometers, UV LEDS and made to order equipment for the field sciences. He also serves on the boards of several companies and mentors people in other start-up ventures.
	Gregory Olsen, President and Founder, GHO Ventures, LLC Gregory Olsen is the president of GHO Ventures where he manages his "angel" investments. Dr. Olsen received a B.S. in physics, a BSEE and M.S. in physics from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and a Ph.D. in materials science from the University of Virginia. He founded EPITAXX, in 1984 and in 1990 sold it for $12 million. He then founded Sensors Unlimited, in 1992 with Marshall Cohen. Sensors was sold to Finisar Corp. for $600 million in 2000, repurchased in 2002 for $6 million, and sold again to Goodrich Corp. in 2005 for $60 million. Dr. Olsen is currently "Entrepreneur in Residence" at Princeton University and is also an Adjunct Professor at Rider University teaching "Energy, The Environment and Man".