Creating Corporate Advantage

In recent years, there have been many claims and programs that offer the promise of corporate advantage. But I believe that it all comes back to Corporate Culture. Your culture yields the results your management has put into motion. If you want to change the outcome, then strategically craft your culture to yield the desired results.

I’ll offer some experiences and lessons learned about crafting the corporate culture at Optimax, especially developing the culture while growing the workforce. This will be followed by a few examples of creative rewards and innovation in support of the corporate mission to make optics faster, cheaper and higher precision than we did yesterday. These technologies apply to aspheric optics as well as conventional spherical and plano optical components.

Rick Plympton

 In his words, “When I was younger, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a living, but I knew that I loved playing games - any game any time. However, they weren't giving out degrees in game theory (not that I was aware of). Later I realized that business is a game.”  Exploring many opportunities, Rick earned three associates degrees in Computer Science, Business Administration, and Engineering Science.  He then continued his education at the University of Rochester and received a B.S. in Optics in 1987 and later an M.B.A. from the Simon School at the University of Rochester in 1999. 

Rick joined Melles Griot in 1984 working in a variety of positions that took him from Rochester to California, Florida, Germany, and England, concluding his career there as the European Technical Marketing Manager in 1995.  In the autumn of 1995 he joined a small start-up called Optimax Systems, Inc. in Ontario, NY as their Vice President.  In only ten years, Optimax has become one of America’s largest optics manufacturers employing 150 and growing by providing the fastest delivery service in the world.  In 1999 with his M.B.A. in hand, Rick was promoted to CEO, where Rick’s education and worldwide work experience has prepared him to develop innovative solutions for corporate strategy, corporate culture and optics manufacturing.     

Reservations:

DINNER reservations are required by noon, April 14, 2008, the Monday of the meeting. MEETING ONLY reservations are required by noon, April 17, 2008, the day of the meeting. 

Please make reservations on line . Reservations may also be left on the answering machine at 617.584.0266. We no longer have an email address for reservations due to SPAM. When making reservation requests, please provide the following information: 

• DINNER AND MEETING or meeting only
• Name(s) and membership status
• Daytime phone number where you can be reached (in case of change or cancellation)

Location:

Best Western TLC in Waltham (Map to TLC)  .

Networking—5:45 PM, Dinner—6:30, Meeting—7:30 PM.

Menu: 

Dinner will include --- and coffee, tea, or milk.

Vegetarian option available on request 

Dinner Prices:

General Information on NES/OSA Meetings

If the meeting must be canceled for any reason, we will try to call you at the phone number you leave with your reservation. Official notice of cancellation will be on our answering machine.

We have to pay for the dinners reserved as of the Tuesday before the meeting, so no-shows eat into our cash reserve. If you will not be able to attend, please let us know as early as possible. Otherwise, no-shows will be billed.

Membership Rates:

NOTE: The extra $5.00 of the non-member dinner fee can be used toward membership dues if the nonmember joins and pays dues for the current year at the meeting.