About Optical Engines

Rooted in photonic technology, driven by customer satisfaction

Expertise vital to our services, applications, and products.

Optical Engines was the brainchild of former Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Amoco Laser Company member Don Sipes, who in 2005 set out to build a company around the idea that the right minds gathered under one roof could elevate the current photonic and laser-based offerings on the market. He brought with him a long list of patents and accomplishments including work on the Mars Sample Return Mission and having completed the first successful [high efficiency] TEM00 output from a diode-pumped solid-state laser.

Today, as CEO, he keeps Optical Engines moving forward while focusing on best-in-class service, unmatched expertise, and loyalty to customers. Don has built a talented team, which in 2024 includes Dan Schulz as COO. Dan joined the Optical Engines team in 2007, and has applied his expertise to optimizing our designs, building and improving fiber combiners, and refining our advanced mode adapter components. He oversees design, delivery, and quality for each division from start to finish.

Another instrumental team member, Jason Tafoya, serves as CTO bringing over a decade of experience in fiber device and fiber laser research. Jason is key in the development of fiber combiners, mode adapters, fiber amplifiers, and fiber laser systems — all of which are vital to our services, applications, and products.

Additionally, our sales team is led by Scott Cannon, who first began working with the team in 2015 and officially joined in 2021 to oversee domestic and international sales efforts. If you’re looking to begin the process of partnering with Optical Engines reach out to Scott today!

Our core values are the heart of our success

INNOVATION-DRIVEN

We strive to be experts across markets and continually seek to expand product applications and processes, allowing us to proactively solve our customers’ toughest challenges.

EXCELLENCE
ABOVE ALL

Our customers look to us not only to solve their problems, but also to ensure their needs will be handled with efficiency and quality.

PRIDE IN PARTNERSHIPS

Our customers’ needs come first, and we ensure they have the information, access, and examples they need to make the best possible technology decisions.

PASSION-FORWARD

We wear our hearts on our sleeves, enthusiastic about the tech that drives our industry and its great potential as well as the support, commitment, and quality we provide our customers.

STRENGTH OVER SIZE

Our team was hand-picked and refined, filled with industry and field experts, so that each decision or recommendation is backed by over 90 collective years of first-hand experience.