High-tech companies are sprouting up throughout the region, helping to revitalize our local economy. Rising Stars, a quarterly event, showcases the entrepreneurs who are building some of Rochester’s most successful technology companies. It offers an opportunity to hear their personal stories and meet the individuals behind Rochester’s “rising stars.”

It’s time to leave behind your outdated notions about manufacturing and discover a world infused with advanced technologies. Companies produce sophisticated products and components using high tech manufacturing & test equipment while employing shop floor, inventory and warehouse systems that maximize productivity and minimize costs. Digital Rochester is pleased to present the leaders of two regional manufacturing companies who will talk about growing a successful business whose high tech “widgets” successfully compete in a global marketplace. Learn about the challenges of financing state-of-the-art facilities and capital equipment while also funding the R&D that makes your company an industry leader.

The Raytec Group is the parent to two companies, Gorbel and Retrotech. Under David Reh’s leadership, both are regulars on the Rochester Top 100. Recognized as an innovator and leader in the enclosed track work station crane industry, Gorbel produces a wide variety of overhead solutions. With a portfolio of patents, Gorbel delivers technology such as robotic work station cranes to manufacturing and distribution companies around the world. Its partner company, Retrotech is a material handling engineering company that brings innovative pallet handling and automated storage and retrieval system solutions to warehousing, work-in-process, and distribution operations in ambient, refrigerated and frozen environments.

Meeting the needs of customers that range from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency to Lockheed Martin and Boeing, it’s clear that Optimax Systems is indeed an innovative manufacturer of precision optics. Optimax produced the optics for the Mars Rovers and for the US military’s unmanned aircraft. On the ground, there are lenses that help to drive advances in medical instrumentation and quick turnaround prototype for innovators across the country. Founded by Mike Mandina in 1991, Optimax has a team of Mechanical, Chemical and Optical Engineers who team up with skilled opticians and leading edge equipment to create remarkable solutions for their thousands of customers. Optimax collaborates with researchers at leading universities across the country to further the science of making optical components.

Creating high tech products, using high tech processes & equipment and expanding high tech opportunities in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region, meet this event's Rising Stars!

[Register below]

SPEAKERS:

• Mike Mandina, President, and Rick Plympton, CEO & VP of Sales,
  Optimax Systems, Inc.
• David Reh, President, Raytec Group, Inc., parent of Gorbel and Retrotech

AGENDA:

7:30-8:00 am	Refreshments and Networking
8:00-9:00 am	Presentations
9:00-9:30 am	Q&A and Meet the Speakers

SPONSORS:

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Mike Mandina

President of Optimax Systems Inc., Mike Mandina is a master optician with Associate Degrees in Optical Engineering Technology and Engineering Science from MCC and RIT respectively. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Applied Physics at Empire State College and recently completed an EMBA from RIT. Mike has started two manufacturing businesses over the past 30 years. Both specialized in providing OEM precision optics to photonics companies.

Mike is an active member of the Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board, Optical Society of America, American Precision Optics Manufactures Association, and The International Society for Optical Engineering.

A lifetime Rochester area resident, Mike has been married for 31 years to Patricia, and speaks proudly of their three children: Paul, 28, a graduate of Indiana University, Jennifer, 27, a graduate of the University of Buffalo Law School and Jonathan, 25, a graduate of Niagara University.

Optimax Systems, Inc. was started in 1991 with a strategy of using state of the art manufacturing technology to produce optical components. Along the way Optimax has developed a corporate culture that promotes employee empowerment and is implementing lean manufacturing. Optimax has 120 employees in a 40,000 sq ft facility in Ontario, NY.

Optimax is recognized as the international leader for quick deliver of OEM precision optics.

Rick Plympton

Rick Plymption’s career at Optimax began in 1996, where he directly managed the sales and marketing activities as well as the QA department. Optimax has since grown to about 120 employees in a 40,000 sq. ft. facility and Rick now serves as CEO as well as VP of Sales. Rick is an energetic guy with a “stand-up” desk in his office.

Rick has extensive precision lens assembly experience from Melles Griot, Optical Systems where he worked as an assembly/test technician, and later as QA Manager. Rick went on to work as a Sales Engineer at Melles Griot’s corporate facility in Irvine, CA followed by a few years of field sales support in the United States and Europe.

Rick received Degrees in Business Administration, Computer Science, and Engineering Science from the Finger Lakes Community College. He then went on to acquire a BS in Optics and an MBA from the University of Rochester. He also sits on the Board for the Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster (RRPC) and the Council for the Optical Society of America – Rochester Chapter.

Rick enjoys adventurous travels, especially in Central America. Whether it’s running, tennis, rock climbing or foozball, he is competitive, but his ultimate goal is to have fun! Rick and his wife Lisa are proud parents of two little girls - Cece, 3 yrs and Lily, 14 months.

Rick's focus is to provide the leadership and vision to position Optimax as America’s largest prototype optics manufacturer.

David Reh

David Reh, owner and president of The Raytec Group Inc., took the helm in 1971. Based in Fishers, NY, The Raytec Group provides administrative services to two manufacturing companies in which Reh holds majority interest, Gorbel Inc. and Retrotech Inc., both of which manufacture material handling equipment with sales across North America and limited overseas sales. Previously, David served as a sales engineer for Hartman Sales Corporation, a systems analyst at Xerox Corporation, and early in his career, he held sales positions at Gleason Works (now Gleason Corporation) and AT&T. He served two years in the United States Army as a lieutenant in the Corp of Engineers.

David Reh earned a BS in industrial distribution from Clarkson University, where he since received the Golden Knight Award, the university's highest alumni honor, and an MBA from the Simon School.

Actively involved in the greater Rochester community, David is a member of the board of directors of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield of the Rochester area, where he has chaired several committees. He has been a board member and vice president of the Victor Central School Board of Education; he is a current member and past chairman and treasurer of the Ontario County Industrial Development Agency; a member, secretary, and vice chairman of the Finger Lakes Foundation for Finger Lakes Community College; a member of the board of the Finger Lakes Companies and the Key Bank of Western New York Advisory Board; and has served as a board member and president of the Tennis Club of Rochester. A member of the Clarkson Roundtable, David engages in numerous activities at his alma mater. He is also heavily involved on the board of governors of his trade association, The Material Handling Industry of America.