JAMES R. PATTERSON | Founder and President

Jim has over 22 years experience in the marketing and sales of RF and Microwave components and sub-systems. Jim started his OEM sales career at Microwave Semiconductor Corporation (MSC) in Somerset, NJ in 1985 as a Sales Engineer. Continuing his focus in the field of RF Power Transistors, Jim joined Thomson CSF (now STMicroelectronics) in 1986 as a Product Marketing Engineer. In 1989 Jim was promoted to Regional Sales Manager for Asia Pacific and Japan.

Jim started his career in the distribution of RF & Microwave components when he joined Richardson Electronics Ltd in 1990. Jim was one of the first technical sales people Richardson hired and after several promotions over a 6 year period was named the Vice President of Worldwide Sales for the Solid State and Components Business Unit.

As part of Avnet’s succession planning efforts, Jim was recruited by Avnet/Penstock as Vice President of Business Development to assist in the integration of Penstock into Avnet. Jim was instrumental in building Avnet’s RF and Microwave Division, and was named Vice President of Sales for Avnet RF & Microwave in 2001.

In October 2004 Jim founded Sertech Inc. and he plans to leverage his experience to service customers and grow sales for manufacturers Sertech represents.

Jim has a BSEE from The Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from LaSalle University.

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CAROLINE MCMAHON | Sales

Caroline has over 27 years experience in sales and sales support of RF and Microwave components and sub-systems. Caroline started her career in 1980 at Microwave Semiconductor Corporation (MSC) in Somerset, NJ as an Export Sales Administrator. In her 20 years at MSC (now STMicroelectronics) Caroline gained valuable experience in what is takes to service customers that use RF and Microwave products.

Caroline joined Avnet’s RF & Microwave Business Unit in 2000 in an inside sales role. As a Sales and Marketing Representative for Avnet RF and Microwave, Caroline serviced customers that used a broad range of RF and Microwave products.

Caroline puts her experience to work for customers and manufacturers Sertech represents.

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SUE PATTERSON | Sales and Administration

After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BFA, Sue joined Swatch Watch USA as Account Manager for the Swatch and Flik-Flak brands. Over her 12 year career with Swatch, Sue managed a 3 million territory in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio.

While raising her children she held similar part-time sales positions for brands such as Speedo and Nautica swimwear.

At Sertech, Sue does excellent job with customer service and is responsible for general administration.

ERIK PENNINGS | Director LW Sales and Business Development

Erik brings over 20 years of sales and marketing experience in lightwave components and modules.

Erik started his career in R&D working at Bellcore (now Telcordia) and at Royal Philips Electronics where he pioneered several optoelectronic components and during which time he published around 70 papers.

In 1995, he moved to sales and marketing at Philips Optoelectronics, where he was responsible for the business development for WDM lasers, tunable lasers, and high-speed EML’s. Partly as a result of the rapid growth that was achieved, Philips sold this business unit in 1998 to JDSU for well over $1 billion.

Erik continued his career being responsible for sales and marketing at ThreeFive Photonics, which grew through a number of mergers into ASIP, then into Apogee Photonics, and finally into CyOptics. Products consisted of uncooled 10Gb/s 1310nm EMLs, as well as 10Gb/s and 40Gb/s 1550nm laser sources. During this time revenues grew 50% or more each quarter.

In 2007, Erik Joined Eudyna Devices Inc where has was responsible for marketing in the US. The marketing team owned design-in’s at all key customers for telecom, CATV, and module products. In addition, marketing was responsible for introducing tunable lasers as well as 40-100Gb/s components.

In 2009, Erik started his own consulting company (www.7-pennies.com) specializing in sales, marketing, and business development. As such, he is working for Sertech in order to grow their lightwave business, by adding on new lightwave lines and by selling their products in Sertech’s territory.

Erik has a MS in Physics (cum laude) from Groningen University, a PhD (distinction) from Delft University of Technology, and an executive MBA from the Simon Business School in Rochester.

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