Talk about a well-rounded group. The AED staff knows how to have serious fun while getting the job done. As the top engineering students out of MSU, Bozeman, each of these engineers would probably do their jobs with complete enthusiasm, for just food and a dry corner of the lab to sleep in. They share a real commitment to their jobs, the Bozeman lifestyle, and the desire to build Lego robots that will take over the world…or at least the conference room.
• Bryan Robertus, P.E. - President
· Jon Koon, P.E. - Sr. Design/Software Engineer
· Jason Kay, P. E. - Sr. Design Engineer
· Jason Daughenbaugh, P.E. - Sr. Design Engineer
· Brett Swimley, P.E. - Sr. Software Engineer
· Chip Lukes - Sr. Design Engineer
· Deb Katz - Administrative Assistant
· Charlie Mann - Software Engineer
· Tyler Judisch - Design Engineer
· Brian Foreman - Operations Manager
· Kristie Simpson - Firmware Design Engineer
· Mark Wolfe - Software Design Engineer
Bryan Robertus, P.E. - President
Bryan looks beyond the engineering of a product to make sure AED serves the best interests of the client and end user. His ability to see the big picture allows him to make solid engineering decisions and elegant designs. He's streamlined AED into a flexible, tight company without corporate baggage and red tape. Working side by side with his creative staff eliminates the layers of management, giving his clients desirable timelines and excellent results.
Bryan had to choose between music and engineering early in his career. Funny enough, he eventually got his name up in the lights of Broadway as an engineer! You may hear Bryan playing the sax in big bands around Bozeman, find him enjoying his family, or in his home workshop. His house is probably the only house in the valley with a dedicated Lego room.
Jon Koon, P.E. - Sr. Design/Software Engineer
Jon sums it up with the maxim, "work hard, get the job done right, and have some fun along the way". His "take no prisoners" approach gives him the confidence to tackle any new type of processor to solve a problem. He loves that the AED staff has a strong sense of humor when discovering both hardware and software bugs.
His spare time finds him running (not necessarily away from the police), volunteering at the university, fishing, ballroom dancing, and a host of other outdoor sports. Did we mention that he builds robots with Legos?
Jason Kay, P. E. - Sr. Design Engineer
Jason finally found a place to work where his co-workers have the same relentless work ethic that he grew up with. He feels privileged to work on unique projects that allow him to step back and see actual results, instead of just seeing a tiny piece of the big picture.
When he's not creating solid engineering, Jason cooks foods from around the world, dances everything from the Two Step to the Viennese Waltz, and pedals, snowboards, and runs around the Bozeman area. And of course…he builds robots with Legos!
Jason Daughenbaugh, P.E. - Sr. Design Engineer
A puzzle solver, Jason realizes that every project has more than one solution, and he relishes considering cost, performance, and development effort to find the best one for the customer. He enjoys working at AED because of the company's inherent strength in talent, experience, and determination.
If he's not traveling on his spare time, you'll find Jason somewhere outdoors recreating in the glory of southwest Montana, or, you guessed it, building Lego robots.
Brett Swimley, P.E. - Sr. Software Engineer
To help customers find the best value for their dollars, Brett concentrates on providing info regarding tradeoffs between design and cost. He strives to determine what customers really need versus what they think they want. He enjoys working on project teams where engineers work individually utilizing their specialties, yet depend on each other when putting the pieces together. He loves working with the latest and greatest technology.
After work, you'll find Brett with his family skiing, hiking, boating, and programming Game Boys with kids. If you don't find him at the ski hill, just look for the nearest Lego stash and he may be nearby.
Chip Lukes - Sr. Design Engineer
You gotta problem? Just ask Chip. He loves to determine the most appropriate answer to any problem thrown his way. Chip enjoys the staff interaction that comes with helping each other see different perspectives in order to come up with a solution. He feels lucky to work with a special group of engineers that have similar interests in and out of work.
If you see some nut dodging icebergs in a blizzard on the river, that would be Chip. He ties flies, hikes, camps, and in a pinch, builds Lego robots.
Deb Katz - Administrative Assistant
Surrounded by a whacky brain trust, Deb allows them to keep focused on the task at hand by keeping the non-engineering aspects of AED organized and smoothly running forward. She loves being part of a team that resembles a walking talking version of Wikipedia.
When she's not working with the team, you may find her baking daring dessert recipes to try out on her 11 willing guinea pigs…or growing orchids, dancing, skiing and hiking…and hanging out with her parrot and feline friend. Having a traveler's soul, she plans on seeing the world in the years to come.
Charlie Mann - Software Engineer
Charlie couldn't imagine finding another group of engineers that put everything they can into making quality projects without losing sight of the, "Work’s supposed to be fun," attitude. That mix of serious workers and "watch your back," pranksters are evident all through the AED food chain, and Charlie wouldn’t have it any other way.
When not glued to a project, you’ll find Charlie playing in the dirt (his garden), hiking, reading…and in close proximity to music. He plans on returning to Africa some day to spread the word of the Gospel to local tribes.
Tyler Judisch - Design Engineer
Tyler appreciates how ideas appear and turn from once abstract notions into tangible working products. He loves being a member of a small company doing big things. Hard work and strong team support give him the chance to take a step back and marvel at the accomplishments a tight group of goofball engineers can develop while still having a blast.
If you want to find him after work, don't look indoors. Look him up in the woods trailing game, catching fish, skiing, hiking and camping.
Brian Foreman - Operations Manager
For not speaking the engineer lingo, Brian sure shares their work ethic and team spirit. The only corner he'll ever cut is hugging a turn in a Lego robot race. He works with the team to come up with creative, cost-effective solutions that grow their customer's bottom line while contributing to laughter that makes AED a great place to work.
If you thought Brian was busy at work…factor in his three kids under ten, lovely wife, woodworking and home projects, being a Notary Public…and when time permits, he may even catch an hour or two of sleep every night…dreaming of Lego's no doubt.
Kristie Simpson, Firmware Design Engineer
Kristie applies her passion for mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering while setting and meeting diverse goals at AED. She feels a sense of pride knowing that all of her teammates focus on enhancing individual performance for the common good of the AED community. Her ability to have fun while creating simple, clean designs, allows her to go home at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
With two younger daughters, Kristie rarely has any downtime...and loves it that way. Most of the time she’s learning and playing with the kids, and whenever possible, traveling back to her home state of Kentucky to see family. If she can steal a few minutes to herself, you’ll find her reading science fiction, working puzzles, crocheting, and playing the Legend of Zelda.
Mark Wolfe - Software Design Engineer
Mark's passion toward attractive, well-designed, user-friendly interfaces comes from a creative perspective of software development. It's exciting for him to take an original idea that began somewhere in his imagination, and translate that into a tangible software solution. The fact that new challenges come his way almost daily, is one of the great perks of working at AED.
After work, Mark relishes every moment he can spend with his beautiful wife and four kids. When he’s not working on his Masters in Computer Science, you may find him finishing the basement, working in the yard... and if he's really lucky, sitting in front of the fire reading a Clive Cussler novel after an afternoon out in the woods hunting.
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