Experience

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  Pelka & Associates, Inc.

  • President

    • May 2002 - Present

    At Pelka & Associates we provide solutions generated by our proprietary optical design software that has many times in the past resulted in protectable designs. We engineer custom components as part of our consulting services. Our expertise is products utilizing light-collection solutions w...

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  InteLED

  • Chairman/ Chief Innovation Officer

    • Jan 2007 - Present

    In January 2007, I helped co-found InteLED Corporation for the purpose of commercializing and licensing much of the IP and optical design software that had been developed at Pelka & Associates, Inc.

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  Teledyne

  • United States
  • Technology, Information and Media
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Consultant

    • Mar 1997 - Present

  • Vice President of New Product Development

    • Mar 1997 - May 2002

    In May of 2002, I completed a 5 year employment contract with Teledyne Lighting and Display Products, Inc.

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  TIR Technologies, Inc

  • Founder

    • Feb 1992 - Mar 1997

    I founded TIR Technologies, Inc. (TIR) in February of 1992 to pursue some of my patents related to LED lighting systems and LCD backlights. Secured over $2M in venture capital and licensing for TIR from 1992-1996. TIR was acquired by Teledyne Industries in March of 1997

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  Physical Optics Corporation (POC)

  • Founder and Vice President of Business Development

    • Jan 1986 - 1992

    As Vice President of Business Development, I helped secure over $3M in venture capital investment for POC as well as securing many millions of dollars in government SBIR contracts. Under my tenure from 1986-1992, the business grew to in excess of $8M.

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  Major Aerospace and DOD Agencies

  • Industrial Consultant- Research

    • 1981 - 1989

    Holographic Technology Applied to Radiation Concentration 1981-1984 (sponsored by DOE); Laser Hardening and High Efficiency Optical Filters 1983-1985 (sponsored by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army); Thermophotovoltaic Systems and Direct Energy Conversion 1985-1989 (sponsored by Southern California Ga...

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  National Technical Systems (NTS)

  • Founder of the Research/Engineering Division

    • 1980 - Apr 1985

    Founded the Research/Engineering Division for National Technical Systems (NTS) in 1980 and grew it to 45 people with annual revenues in excess of $10M in five years. Was a key member of NTS’ road show for a secondary stock offering that raised $20M in equity for NTS in 1983.

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  Northrop University Physics Department

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • Research

    • 1974 - 1982
    • Los Angeles, CA

    Solar Thermal Energy Conversion 1974-1978 (sponsored by DOE and Southern California Gas Company) Photovoltaics 1978-1980 (sponsored by Southern California Edison Company); Radiation Concentration and Radiation Transfer 1980-1982 (sponsored by the Gas Research Institute.)

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  Northrop University and California State Univer...

  • Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering

    • 1971 - 1980

    Dr. Pelka taught courses in Electro-Optics, Lasers, Fiber Optics, Quantum Mechanics and Semi Conductor Physics. This included securing a number of grants from government agencies such as NSF, DOE, and the Gas Research Institute (GRI).

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  University of California at Riverside

  • Research Assistant

    • 1968 - 1971

    Research Assistant in Solid State Physics (Low Temperature Phenomena)