ASU announces leadership changes

Estrera previously served as the Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer. Gordon previously served as Vice President of Administration and Sales. In partnership, Estrera will lead strategy and outward operations while Gordon will direct internal operations.

“You have one of the brightest night vision minds in Dr Joe Estrera, as captain of the ASU ship,” said ASU President Jim Winkel. “In Hannah Gordon, you have a sharp businesswoman, who knows all the inner workings of ASU like no other because she has held numerous roles at ASU. She will propel the company toward continual improvement. The new leadership team will benefit our customers.”

Estrera sees founder’s mission at center of what he does

Estrera has received numerous awards and industry accolades; He was awarded the US Army CECOM Defense Acquisition Executive Certificate of Achievement and received corporate awards from Litton, Northrop Grumman and L-3 Communications. Estrera has authored technical papers, holds multiple patents, is frequently published in technical and industry journals, and speaks often at symposiums and seminars. He is currently a member of the American Physical Society, Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, and American Vacuum Society. He received his PhD and MSc in Physics from the University of Texas at Dallas, and his BSc in physics from the University of Notre Dame. 

“ASU’s mission has always been focused on saving lives through the use of night vision goggles,” said Estrera. “ASU founder’s mission for ASU will be the litmus test for everything we do at ASU. Whether we are developing new products, leveraging our core competencies, or helping operators start night vision programs, it has to align with our vision. I am looking forward to continuing to work with the incredible ASU team, all our customers, suppliers, and affiliates to bring a bigger and brighter future to ASU. Whether it is the new advanced night vision systems we are developing in conjunction with the US Department of Defense, or the E3 goggles for civil operations, everything must adhere to the mantra that night vision solutions save lives.”

Gordon values family atmosphere at ASU

Gordon’s 21-year career at ASU has included sales, marketing, human resources, supply chain, information technology, finance and customer service. For the first 10 years of her career, she focused on external operations. For the second 10 years, she has focused on internal processes. In the last two years, she has championed the launch of a new customer service department, enterprise resource planning system, and improved the customer experience. She earned her Master of Business Administration degree from Boise State University.

“ASU has a strong reputation for its family atmosphere,” said Gordon. “As the Chief Operating Officer, I will continue to cultivate that by caring for our team. We have a lot of high-capacity leaders and dedicated employees with very demanding jobs. Part of my new endeavor will be to care for the people at ASU who work so tirelessly to care for our customers. ASU has grown from a small company to a company of more than 50 employees. We want to maintain the dynamic culture at ASU and continue to serve our customers better.”

Jim Winkel announced his retirement at the beginning of the month. “Some of the greatest memories I have during my time at ASU is the outstanding friends and colleagues whom I've been privileged to work and form a relationship with,” he said.