The People Behind the Products
Teamwork and how we feel about people is at the core of who we are and what we do. We value talent and we work hard to recruit, retain, and appreciate it. And then we empower the talented people who are part of our team. As a whole we are stronger than any individual component and we embrace that in every decision we make, acknowledging that your position in a hierarchy has no correlation to your ability to make a good decision. Those closest to the problem typically have great insight into the problem and clever solutions come from unexpected sources especially when everyone feels empowered. Our strength is truly in our team – our products are simply the extension of that team.
Rick Chapman
Software & Electrical Engineer
I had my first taste of electricity when I was 2 years old and placed keys into the power outlet. My expression was, “its hot, mama!” I have always had a passion for electronics and taught myself basic electronics in my adolescent years. Computers and car stereos were my favorite! Well they still are. I graduated from Nielsen Electronic Institute with an AS in Electronic Engineering presidents list. I started working for CEM after graduation and for the past 20 years have worked as an Electronic Technician, Senior Technician, Support Engineer, and R&D Design Engineer. I enjoy problem solving whether they are mechanical, electrical, or everyday problems. I enjoy my leisure time with family, fishing, disc golf, or anything outside. Being able to work with Lucidity and this highly talented group is a dream of mine that is finally coming true. I am looking forward to the amazing things we are going create and manufacture.
Mike Collins
President
I started working at CEM when I was 15 years old, over 25 years ago, as a summer intern and during holiday breaks. I worked in the engineering department, the machine shop, the chemistry labs, production and testing, and shipping and receiving. I interned for seven years while in high school and while attending the University of Florida pursuing a Chemical Engineering degree. While in Florida I also worked at the Engineering Research Center and on multiple different research projects within the Chemical Engineering Department, including a collaborative project with The Dow Chemical Company. Most of my work in Florida centered around flow analysis, separations, and heat transfer. Upon graduating from UF with a BS in Chemical Engineering, I joined CEM full time as a Development Chemist and Project Engineer, initially helping design flow based microwave synthesizers and scale up microwave synthesizers. I then spent considerable time traveling and working on site with customers in labs and facilities around the world learning what they did and exploring new product opportunities. For over 15 years, I held different roles in all the CEM product lines working in product development, product launch, customer support, marketing, and business development. My core passion is conceiving of and making revolutionary new products and bringing them to people who badly need them. And now at Lucidity I’m able to focus with a team of like-minded people on making mind-boggling new products that completely wow. The look of amazement in customers’ eyes is what drives me. Outside of work I enjoy being a dad, woodworking, playing guitar, playing sports, and exploring the world around me with my wife.
Mike Davis
Mechanical Design Engineer
I obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion University with a focus in Mechanical Design. Prior to joining Lucidity, I supported the Department of Defense as a government contractor performing System Engineering and Design Engineering roles. During my time as a government contractor, I worked on process and technology improvement; design and manufacturing of packaging for weapon systems, soldier gear and tools; and the design and manufacturing of electronic packaging for chemical detectors & analyzers in a R&D environment. Growing up in a military family myself, it was an honor to support our military in these roles. I have always had a passion for tinkering, taking apart a perfectly good product just to understand how it works, 3D CAD solid & surface design, and testing & evaluation. I joined the Lucidity R&D team several years ago as a Mechanical Design Engineer. Lucidity provides me the opportunity to conceptually design a part, get my hands dirty in our on-site machine shop, assemble, test, and evaluate all in the same day. Having these resources on-site, along with a strong-minded and driven team, allows us to deliver high quality, well thought-out, user-friendly products to the marketplace quickly. Outside of work I enjoy being a dad, playing soccer, music, woodworking, and all Boston sports.
Sawyer Lankford
Mechanical Design Engineer
I grew up in a family of carpenters, farmers and construction workers so there was always something to take apart, fix or build around the house. When it came time for college, I decided to go into a mechanical engineering program since I had been around similar projects and problem solving scenarios most of my life. Through Scouting, I was able to meet the right people that introduced me to my current employers at Lucidity, where I started interning while enrolled at UNCC in the Mechanical Engineering program. I graduated from UNCC with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2018 and started working full time at Lucidity, where I get to design, build and test subsystems for final products, and I can’t think of a better group of people or place to be working at.
Daniel Iversen
Research & Development Scientist
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Keene State College in Keene, NH. While there the Chemistry Department got all of their analytical instruments replaced. I was working as the student lab supervisor at the time and was asked to assist with the installation and train the staff on how the instruments worked. This really kicked off my enjoyment of analytical instrumentation.
From there I went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry from SUNY Binghamton in Binghamton, NY. I worked in a Materials Chemistry lab as an Analytical Chemistry Student. I was using the different electronegativities of metals to plate copper onto a silver crystal in different concentrations of oxidizers.
After I graduated, I tried my hand at teaching high school chemistry for several years before moving to the Charlotte area to teach AP chemistry. I was then hired as an analytical chemist for the past 9 years. For the first five, I was a Metals analyst working with ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The last four years I have been an analytical chemist working with GC-FID and HPLC.
Outside of work, I enjoy board games, spending time with my family, using my 3-D printer to make things and LEGO.
Dan Scheid
Software & Electrical Engineer
Since a young age, I’ve been interested in determining how things work. That curiosity led me to pursue degrees in Electronics Engineering and Computer Science. Along the way, I worked as a heavy equipment mechanic, HVAC technician, and as an electronics repair tech for an automated guided vehicle company. After starting at CEM in the System Testing department, I was able to pursue my goal of becoming a software engineer. Since joining the Engineering department I have been involved with several highly technical instruments, providing system component solutions, embedded firmware and user facing applications. For fun I enjoy video games, camping, running, and drinking beer.
