Technology >> CEO Interviews >> May 5, 2003
RON NELSON is Chief Executive Officer and President of Agility
Communications, Inc. He has established a distinguished 25-year
record and is widely regarded for his development and operations
accomplishments in the photonics arena. Prior to becoming
President and CEO of Agility, he was Vice President and an
Officer at Motorola and Director of the Phoenix Advanced
Technology Center. In that capacity, he assembled and led world-
class teams developing high-speed optical interconnects, vertical
lasers, flat-panel displays, and components and software for
wireless products, helping Motorola generate more than $1 billion
in revenues. He set up and directed Motorola's manufacturing
line, delivering the highest performing and most reliable
vertical lasers available in the marketplace at that time. Prior
to his accomplishments at Motorola, Mr. Nelson was one of two co-
founders of Lytel, Inc. Lytel, a successful startup company that
produced optoelectronic components and subsystems for
telecommunication and data communication applications, was
acquired by AMP (now Tyco). A seasoned veteran, Mr. Nelson
started his career in 1976 at Bell Laboratories, where he worked
on short-and long-wavelength lasers. He led the team that
developed the Bell Systems' first long-wavelength lasers for use
in submarine cable and terrestrial fiber systems. He has a long-
standing history of activity with the Optoelectronics Industry
Development Association (OidA), serving on the board of directors
and as the Vice Chairman of the Technology and Market Opportunity
Roadmap Committee. This committee produces a comprehensive set of
roadmaps and opportunities, helping to establish a cohesive
direction for university and industrial R&D and government-funded
optoelectronics research. Mr. Nelson holds a Doctorate degree
from the University of Illinois, where his research was directed
by Professor Nick Holonyak. Profile
Communications and an overview of things as they are now?
Mr. Nelson: Agility is five years old and it was founded in
