bring. Everyone has natural talent. People
that are in positions to leverage their talents
will be superstars, so we really try to focus on
alignment andpositive attitude.”
Optimax was one of 10 mid-sized companies
– those employing between 125 and 399 –
recognized by Rochester’s Democrat &
Chronicle newspaper in its 2014 listing of the
region’s topworkplaces.
Survey feedback included phrases like “I am
allowed to make suggestions and carry out
improvements” and “Outside training
directly related to the products I make,” the
latter of which speaks directly to a policy
enacted to make sure the company’s staff
stays on the cutting edge.
The creative spark that led to the founding of
Optimax first appeared in the late 1980s,
when a group of workers at Kodak – which
was thenRochester’s largest employer –were
searching for a method that would enable
them to more quickly produce prototype
optics. They did it, Plympton said, with a
combination of innovative computer-
controlled technology and attitude.
The founders ultimately began coming up
Optimax
| BusinessWorld-
Magazine | 3
