References and Testimonials
"Ray Williamson has helped us with issues in
manufacturing, testing, optical design, assembly, and quality. He has served as
technical liaison with customers and vendors, guiding us through challenging
problems over the phone without ever seeing the optics in question. Working with
our management, opticians and sales staff, he has been very responsive,
knowledgeable, and helpful. We will be using his services in the future."
Mel Kantor, President
Tower Optics
"I regard Ray Williamson as my mentor. I've known him for over 20 years,
literally from my first day of professional employment. I've worked with him at
two different companies for a total of almost 15 years. I recruited him from
Laser Power Optics to VLOC. While he has never been my direct supervisor he has
always been available for advice, help, and someone with whom I could toss ideas
back and forth. He has some great qualities for an engineer:
- He has a great deal of experience and may have worked on or know something
about the problem you are having.
- If he doesn't know the answer he won't BS you - he will simply say he
doesn't know.
- If he doesn't know the answer he has excellent physical intuition that
enables him to estimate the answer, or to give upper and lower bounds to the
answer.
- He can go to first principles to derive the answer.
He is not narrowly technically focused. He is very interested in teaching and
training and interacting with customers and suppliers. Outside of work he is
interested in scuba diving, auto racing, cooking, and music.
If I were in any kind of position here to hire Ray I would without
hesitation."
Douglas Essex
Senior Optical Engineer
Northrop Grumman
essexdo@mail.northgrum.com
In designing a small prototype instrument incorporating
a very sensitive balance beam scale, I found myself in need of a non-contact
display of the balance pointers. The scale sensitivity dictated that it be
mounted in an enclosure to preclude wind currents, and that the image provide
for an amplified signal to allow the user to take advantage of the accuracy of
the scale. Due to other functionality in the instrument, it was also necessary
to send the image to a location convenient to the user. Having no optical
experience beyond basic physics, I sought someone with the expertise and
experience I did not have and found Ray Williamson Consulting.
Working from basic sketches of the problem and
parameters, Ray provided a turn-key solution complete with a dimensioned optical
schematic, parts list, and sources for the parts. The parts list included
options on some items with a cheaper alternative that would be worth trying. He
also provided an explanation for what parts needed adjustability and in what
axes, as well as a “how it works” explanation so I was better able to understand
how I needed to incorporate his solution into the complete instrument. In short,
a total package complete with a bit of education, and all at a very reasonable
cost within budget.
The results actually surpassed my expectations, and it
‘worked the first time’. I strongly recommend his work.
Brand Cole
Ray is a gifted technical problem solver with superlatively
excellent social skills.
Ray is a skillful leader, supervisor and mentor.
Ray is as proficient as a master technician in the subtleties of high precision
optical fabrication, thin film coating, and optical assembly.
Ray is as proficient as a senior engineer in the theory and analytics of
precision optics.
Ray knows the business of optics like a CEO.
Ray designed and implemented the process controls and materiel and process
documentation system for Laser Power Optics. This process control system was a
principal reason for LPO's economic success between 1985 and 1993.
Ray implemented the first commercial joining of optical test (Zygo Fizeau
interferometry MetroPro software) and optical analysis (OSLO software) of which
I am aware. Other companies have since done this, but I believe Ray was one of
the earliest, if not "the" earliest innovator.
I had the good fortune to work with Ray on technical projects, when he was
Engineering Manager at LPO, as well as on a more social basis as fellow members
of a local chapter of the Optical Society of America.
Ray is both a creative engineer and a man of good character
Gene Cross, Optics Engineer, Senior Staff at Lockheed
Martin, ATC
"Ray has the special gift of being able to make complex issues
– elegantly simple"
Jeffrey S. Edwards – President and CEO
Alchemists Intl
Ray and I have worked together for over half a decade. His energy, enthusiasm
for continuous learning and growth – at both the organizational and individual
level – and gift of being able to make complex and demanding issues elegantly
simple, makes him an extremely potent presence. Top this off with his likeable
and highly engaging personality, and a smooth facilitative style of
communicating and you have a consultant or coach clients should flock to.
I have always enjoyed working with Ray – his ability to crystallize complex
issues into elegantly simple ones – extraordinarily important when trying to
solve a problem – or prevent one from occurring in the first place – has amazed
me since our very first meeting.
Although we talk about Servant Leadership a great deal – there are in fact
too few leaders practicing this style. Ray, fortunately for those he works with
– is one of these… Hands on, eminently practical, Ray gets things done – through
people who genuinely enjoy working with him.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey S. Edwards
Alchemists Intl
Turning Lead Into Gold™
"I first worked with Ray over thirty
years ago at Spectra-Physics, then later at Coherent, and have been friends and
co-consultants since then. I have always been impressed with Ray's positive
approach to understanding problems and his unequaled techniques for resolution
and prevention of future recurrences through education and attention-to-detail.
He has unparalleled communication skills, in both directions, and is an
excellent teacher to students of all levels. His documentation is complete, and
easy to read and understand."
Dan Rippere, Coating Manager
CVI
"I've known Ray Williamson for about 25 years. He
has worked as a manufacturing engineer for several major optical manufacturers,
and is particularly experienced with the manufacture & testing of CO2 laser
optics and specialty crystals used for polarization applications, solid state
lasers, and telecommunication applications. Ray is extremely intelligent,
resourceful, and has the patience and ability to teach what he knows. I find
this particularly important to maintaining continuity and corporate knowledge
within a manufacturing operation. He is definitely the first person I would call if I needed help
solving an optical manufacturing and/or testing issue. In short, I would highly
recommend him for anything he says he can do."
Teddi von Der Ahe
Optical Engineer/Sr. Quality Engineer
"I found Ray very responsive and easy to work with, and he had a number of
creative ideas to a degree rare in my experience."
Roger Jungerman, Optical Engineer
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