Welcome to the Florida Photonics Cluster Website
Mission

The mission of the Florida Photonics Cluster (FPC) is to support the growth
and profitability of the photonics industry through the strength of a unified voice.  
The driving forces of the FPC are networking opportunities with industry peers,
an expansive resource base, and an educational community focused on
industry input for curriculum development. The FPC is a  501c(6) not-for-profit
corporation.
Florida Photonics Cluster
Message From The Current President

I am very excited about the prospects for the photonics
industry in Florida and I am proud to be part of the
Florida Photonics Cluster at such a pivotal period.
Florida has always had all the ingredients that make for
leadership position in the high technology sector but
the growing success of its photonics businesses
coupled with the world-wide recognition of CREOL as a
preeminent center of excellence in the field are
evidence that we are poised for outstanding growth.
Please contact us to learn more about how you and
your organization can be a part of this terrific story!  

Alexandre Fong
President, Florida Photonics Cluster
Our Founder

The Florida Photonics Cluster was the vision of Bill
Schwartz.  Bill is best known as president and chief
executive officer of Schwartz Electro-Optics, a company
he founded in 1983.  Often referred to as the true pioneer
of Florida’s laser industry, laser research groups or
companies he led have been the source of 15 of
Orlando, Florida’s 40 laser companies and
organizations.  

Bill headed up laser research, development, and
production programs at Lockheed Martin’s Orlando
division before founding International Laser Systems
(ILS) in 1968.  He was president and CEO of ILS for 15
years until it was purchased by Litton and renamed Litton
Laser Systems in 1983.  He then founded Schwartz
Electro-Optics.

Bill Schwartz passed away in 2000, but his vision for the
future of photonics lives on through FPC.
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