Author: jbrandt

Our spotlight focus turns this month to Matthew Hamilton, Sagetech Avionics’ Chief Technology Officer.  Matt leads the technology teams of the company to create advanced avionics solutions that currently serve on unmanned aircraft platforms. Matt’s qualifications include a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Matt shared his story of how he came to work at Sagetech when he was asked why he chose to live in the Gorge to pursue his career in tech and innovation.  Prior to his employment at Sagetech, which began in November of 2015,  Matt worked at Aviation Communication Surveillance Systems (ACSS), a division of L3-Harris, in Phoenix AZ.  At ACSS, Matt worked on traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) and transponders for commercial aircraft. Matt first learned about Sagetech when his employer began working on a new mini TCAS product and purchased a Sagetech legacy transponder to evaluate it. When this program was cancelled, Matt was moved to qualification testing, at which point both he and his colleague David Day started looking for new and more interesting opportunities.  Dave reached out to Sagetech and quickly got an interview and an offer and moved to the Gorge.  Dave immediately reached out to Matt about the opportunity to work at Sagetech with him.  Two weeks later in October, Matt flew north and had a “working interview” where he helped design some of the transmitter circuitry that is still part of Sagetech’s MX Platform. During his interview Matt stayed in the former Sagetech owner’s barn (which was the former Sagetech building!), hiked Eagle Creek, and fell in love with the Gorge while the weather was fantastic.  Even though Dave was the only other person that Matt knew in the Columbia Gorge, when Sagetech offered the job, he took it. He started work in November and had to stay in a vacation rental because there was no housing available. The weather turned quickly… with snow in November and continuous rain for the next six months.

When asked to share one great thing that Sagetech does for its employees, Matt replied without hesitation, “Sagetech offers a continuing education program, which includes learning to fly, as a way to foster an aviation culture at the company. The company pays for half the cost of a private pilot’s license or any college or education/ training up to $5k/year, as long as it is in line with Sagetech’s business.”  Matt is now a certified private pilot and has found that being a pilot himself has proven invaluable in developing a user-friendly product for customers because he can personally flight-test the products.  He added, (with a grin) “There is nothing that can match the value of  real-life product testing!”

Matt was enthusiastic about his work developing innovative and progressive projects at Sagetech that will “make the skies safer by helping aircraft avoid mid-air collisions.”  The company’s Airborne Collision Avoidance System X (ACAS-X) is the next generation of collision-avoidance systems that is specifically designed to meet the needs of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and small UAS.  This technology is also applicable to crewed aviation (Fixed Wing, Rotorcraft and eVTOLs)  Sagetech is now designing a smaller version of their MX transponder for the less-than-55 lb. UAS market. Today, small UAS do not have transponders because “it would overwhelm the 1090 MHz spectrum.”  Instead, they can be equipped with a passive receiver and use ACAS-X to avoid collisions. For larger aircraft, the MX will get upgraded with some extra processing capability to include the ACAS-X and a UAT receiver.   Sagetech is working with many of the major advanced air mobility (AAM) players, one of the company’s key target markets.  Uncrewed cargo aircraft have also been targeted in Sagetech’s quest to make the skies safer through certified collision-avoidance systems.  Sagetech’s innovation has extended now to the development of an iOS app that will soon be available for light sport and experimental aircraft to equip with ADS-B.  

When asked to elaborate on what he and his company would like to gain as a member of the GTA,  Matt replied that  he sees the GTA as “a great recruiting tool that provides visibility to the company.” He also sees synergies between and among the Gorge tech companies that have not been leveraged yet, which the GTA could help with.

Matt attributes his success at Sagetech to the amazing team of engineers that he works with, and to his  supportive wife Hauna and kids Brogan, Bella, and Brynlee. When Matt is not working, he enjoys flying to new places with his family.  And to wrap up this extraordinary interview, Matt was asked the famous question… “If you could have one meal with anyone, who would you choose, and which dish would you share?”  And in keeping with Matt’s enthusiasm for aviation, the answer came back (not too surprisingly!) that he would love to dine with Neil Armstrong and share a long conversation about aviation history over a sirloin steak.

Visit Sagetech’s website to learn more about the company and products! 

Meet Bill Howland, an Embedded Hardware Engineer who has been on SightLine Applications’ hardware engineering team in Portland for the past five years. As a native Oregonian and Portlander, Bill counts himself lucky to live in an area where he can pursue his passion for electronics and ride his bike to work when the weather cooperates.

Bill’s interest in electronics began when he was 12 years old, taking apart audio systems and trying to build or repair his way to a better version. So when it came time to choose his career, electronics was naturally the ONLY choice! While still in college, Bill’s first job was working for BASF Temperature Sensing (formerly Engelhard Corporation), where he progressed from Electronic Technician to Engineering Technician and eventually Hardware Engineer. There he oversaw the design, assembly and testing of optical pyrometers for the RTP Radiance and Vulcan CVD systems made by Applied Materials, Inc. (world-wide manufacturing of silicon wafer processors). At times Bill was the entire manufacturing team. Bill remained at BASF for 13 years, had a brief period of home-based contract work, and then came to work at SightLine.

When asked what he appreciates most about his work at Sightline, Bill replied that, “SightLine allows employees to grow, learn, and ‘wear multiple hats’ so things stay interesting!” His outlook on learning and and creating solutions has earned him the reputation among his teammates as “THE go-to electrical genius at SightLine who many folks rely on for troubleshooting hardware, cabling, power automation, etc.” – says colleague Charlie Hayward

His personal interests have remained focused on music and his knowledge of musical trivia is at this time unrivaled! He continues to refurbish and repair vintage audio equipment and antique radios as a hobby, and his quirky humor shows clearly with his answer to the question, “Who would you choose to have dinner with and what dish would you share?” Bill’s #1 choice was to have dinner with Bugs Bunny at the LOOOONG table he shared with Yosemite Sam, and “we would have Bugs’ “Hasenpfeffer” recipe” (carrots!).

SightLine Applications creates onboard video processing software that is then typically integrated as an embedded system into high-end optronics systems (gimbals, UAVs, UGVs, PTZs, and more!). Bill Howland is part of the team that designs the electronic subsystems to interface various cameras to SightLine’s systems. 

Founded in 2007, SightLine has offices in both Hood River and Portland. The two offices help with the recruitment needs that require a variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise. With around 40 employees in the two offices, this small company has been a core member of the GTA since the Alliance was created.

Email: info@sightlineapplications.com

Website: sightlineapplications.com

This month’s Employee Spotlight focuses on the production floor at Silicon Forest Electronics, where Crystal Cuellar is the Senior Lead in production of printed circuit board assembly. Silicon Forest Electronics employs 98 people, and Crystal has been working there for 16 years. She first heard about Silicon Forest Electronics through her daughter’s participation in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program in Vancouver, where her daughter was matched as a sister into another family that personally recommended Silicon Forest Electronics as a great workplace. 

When asked what she appreciates the most about her employer, Crystal replied that it was, “the time and training that Silicon Forest Electronics provides to employees so that they can be promoted in-house. The company’s practice of offering opportunities to learn new skills and to advance in one’s career has helped the company to grow successfully.”

As a production lead, it is Crystal’s responsibility to keep communication flowing between the production crew, the Customer Focus Teams, and Engineers. She manages both the people and the product as it moves through the production floor, ensuring that the highest quality product goes out to customers. 

Crystal Cuellar takes pride in her work and the work of her production team. She finds it especially satisfying to see the growth and development of the company’s newer hires as the demand for Silicon Forest Electronics’ services continues to grow.

While Crystal herself is not personally active at the GTA’s social events, she appreciates that much of the demand for Silicon Forest Electronics’ products comes from fellow GTA companies. Her personal work ethic demands that the quality of products and the service provided by Silicon Forest Electronics has a positive and profound impact for every customer.  

Fun Fact! If Crystal could have one meal with anyone, she would choose Hannibal Lector, a character from the movie Silence of the Lambs, and she would make liver with some Fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Silicon Forest Electronics

6204 East 18th Street

Vancouver, WA 98661

360-694-2000

email: sfesales@si-forest.com

website: siliconforestelectronics.com

Kate Wurster was recently hired as the STEM Hub Coordinator at CGESD in October, 2022 as a natural fit, with her love of language and communication and her extensive background in education.

As a Fulbright Scholar with degrees in German and Education, Kate first got involved in education professionally when she taught English to primary and secondary students in Hamburg, Germany. After that, her path progressed through community colleges in Maine and in Colorado. Moving to the Gorge with her husband Pete and son Chase, her skills and talent led her to Hood River Valley High School where she served as the Career Connected Learning Coordinator.  In this role, Kate collaborated with CTE teachers at the high school to build robust post-secondary pathways between HRVHS and CGCC, by creating meaningful workplace-based experiences for students.  Her engagement with CGCC led her to new professional opportunities at the College, where she continued to champion the value of CTE programming to help serve local workforce and employment needs.  

Kate believes in the power and importance of good communication in all aspects of her life – personal and professional. She is fluent in written and spoken German and hosts a monthly German language conversation group called Stammtisch at Crush Cider Cafe in Hood River.  She is also inspired by nature and embraces all that the Gorge has to offer – trail running, skiing, hiking, stand up paddle boarding and exploring the beautiful landscape the Gorge has to offer. 

Kate’s aspirations include travelling and living abroad with her family for a couple of years so that they can fully immerse themselves in another language and culture.  When asked what her favorite meal would be to share with her favorite celebrity, she had no hesitation in replying, “I would love to have had dinner with Ruth Bader Ginsburg or with Michelle Obama – sharing a Mediterranean dish with chicken kabobs and tzatziki, pita bread and hummus, falafel, and a delicious Turkish coffee would be (would have been) amazing!”

In her Coordinator role, Kate’s primary focus is in Career Connected Learning initiatives (career awareness, exploration, preparation & training) at the middle and high school (bridging post-secondary) levels.  She thoroughly enjoys her role of “matchmaker” within the STEM sector, stating,  “I find it most rewarding to work with educators to identify their career-connected learning needs.   I then determine what the best fit (which company and/or professional mentor) will best to supplement the educator’s curriculum with real-world expertise and context.   The matchmaking step involves networking with industry contacts to open the pathways where the needs meet.”

Kate is eager to collaborate with educators, students and families, as well as community & industry partners in the region to provide opportunity and access to Career Connected Learning activities and programming. She has found the Gorge to be an amazingly dynamic and rewarding place to work in Career Connected Learning, commenting, “When it comes to leveraging industry/ education connections, for a relatively small and rural region, the diversity of industry represented here, and the willingness for industry to engage and support local youth, is very impressive! “

Kate’s major work initiatives for the STEM Hub include the College and Career Expo and the Advanced Manufacturing Educator Externship. Last year’s College and Career Expo event had approximately 150 students representing 11 different high schools in the region, including WA schools in Klickitat & Skamania Counties.  The Advanced Manufacturing Educator Externship is a 3-day, experiential externship focused on the Advanced Manufacturing sector (including a hands-on introduction to CGCC’s Advanced Manufacturing program by the College’s lead instructors and site visits to a variety of local manufacturing employers in Hood River & Wasco County on days 2 & 3).

The GTA provides a crucial link to the local high tech industry for the STEM Hub. It provides a platform for networking opportunities with local industry partners that is essential for the work of Career Connected Learning in the region. Plus, industry awareness around the work of the STEM Hub is necessary for the success of the STEM Hub’s programs, and the GTA provides the link to leverage the participation and support of local tech companies.

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Meet Justin Gradek, OMEP’s consultant assigned to cover the Columbia River Gorge Region. Justin has been with OMEP for six years as a Senior Manufacturing Consultant. Justin consults with manufacturers around the state on a wide range of topics including capacity growth, strategy, facility layout, and equipment selection. He also does design work and coaching when called for. A portion of his time is spent on advancing manufacturing CTE programs with educators around the state.

Justin loves the flexibility in his work with OMEP. He appreciates that the agency’s mission and work style allows it’s employees to work with clients and on projects that the employees themselves are passionate about. For Justin, his work with companies in the Gorge to help create economic prosperity in the community where he lives is more than simply a professional goal – it is a personal goal as well.

“I’ve lived in The South, big cities on the east coast, California, and Europe – and there is nowhere as beautiful as the Pacific Northwest and The Gorge specifically. I also find the people of the west to embody a lot of the ruggedness and perseverance that I imagine it took to establish farming and industry on this land a couple hundred years ago. The Northwest has a lot of opportunity for people looking to build a good life while trying something new, and I think that’s me.”