fiber process development and manufacturing consulting

• LARRY DONALDS

Specialty Optical Fiber Expert
Process Development and Manufacturing Consultant
Mobile: 612-402-5171
ldonalds@focenter.com

Larry Donalds began his career at Fiber Optic Center (FOC) in 2017 as Business Development, Fiber Design and Manufacturing, Technical Sales. Larry brings more than 35 years of experience from 3M Company in St. Paul, MN after recently retiring. During his time with 3M Company, he spent 24 years in the development and manufacture of specialty optical fiber, utilizing “voice of the customer,” helping 3M design and produce fibers to meet specific customer applications and performance criteria. . Projects included the development and production of EDFA (Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier) fiber, radiation-hardened fiber for gyroscopes, solution doping of preforms, patent development for Oxyfluoride Erbium fiber, organometallic rare earth deposition and a rare earth single mode fiber bend and position sensor. In his fiber position at 3M, Mr. Donalds maintained and operated MCVD equipment from SG Controls of Cambridge, England, whom FOC has represented in North America for over 25 years. Larry has achieved several awards over his career including 3M Golden Step Award, Photonics Circle of Excellence Award, R&D 100 Award, 3M Circle of Technical Excellence Awards in 1983, 2001, and 2008, & 3M Ideation Challenge award in 2017. He and his wife reside in Arizona. Outside of FOC, Larry’s hobbies includes fishing, boating, snowmobiling, outdoor landscaping, & deck design and construction.

• RICHARD TUMMINELLI

Rare Earth Doped Optical Fiber Expert,
Process Development and Manufacturing Consultant
Mobile: 508-397-7632
rtumminelli@focenter.com

Richard Tumminelli began his career at Fiber Optic Center (FOC) in 2020 as Fiber Design and Manufacturing Consultant, Rare Earth Doped Optical Fiber Expert. Rick recently retired from the position of Director of Engineering at the Coherent fiber site in Salem, NH, and has been working in the field of rare earth doped optical fiber for 40 years. Prior to this position, he managed the specialty fiber group at JDS Uniphase, specializing in double clad fibers for fiber lasers and erbium doped fiber. Richard also held positions in the optics group at Draper Laboratories, and was a member of the Polaroid fiber optic team under the direction of Dr. Elias Snitzer, which did much of the seminal work in rare earth doped fibers, fiber lasers and amplifiers. He is a co-inventor of double clad fiber laser pumping, has been granted 22 patents and has 20 publications in fiber lasers and amplifiers.