named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Member Directory
Online directory of member companies in the precision optics industry, categorized by service offerings such as optical fabrication, coatings, equipment, and design
Workforce Development Collaboration
Partnership with AmeriCOM and community colleges to build a trained pipeline of optics technicians and support manufacturing innovation
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Industry Trade Association Services 1 activity
- Advocacy and representation for precision optics manufacturersRepresents precision optics manufacturers, industry companies, and academic institutions to advance and expand optics manufacturing and technology.
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Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Training 1 activity
- Building national optics technician training pipelinesEstablishes optics ecosystems across the U.S. involving community colleges, manufacturing companies, and nonprofits to build a pipeline of trained Optics Technicians and delivers national-level training programs.
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University-Specific Endowment and Program Funding 1 activity
- Funding optics education and training through scholarships and donationsFunds optics education initiatives, including a $7,300 donation to Front Range Community College and the Walter Czajkowski Scholarship for individuals pursuing education or training in the optics field.
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Member Business Referral & Discount Programs 1 activity
- Operating a Preferred Partner program for member servicesEstablishes a Preferred Partner program to connect member companies with specialized service providers in tax incentives, certification, insurance, business services, and industry-specific technology, launching with RK Partners as the inaugural partner.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Organizing technical workshops and national meetings for membersHosts technical workshops and national meetings aligned with SPIE and OSA conferences, including multi-day events featuring technical presentations, site visits, and training sessions on precision optics manufacturing topics.
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Scientific Conference & Symposium Management 1 activity
- Participating in major photonics industry eventsParticipates in SPIE Photonics West, an annual photonics and laser event featuring exhibitions and specialized tracks in Quantum, AR/VR/MR, and biomedical technologies.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Producing and distributing member newslettersProduces and distributes a newsletter 4–5 times per year featuring APOMA news, member announcements, event information, and critical industry topics.
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Member-Exclusive Resource Access 1 activity
- Providing members access to technical resources and knowledge sharingGrants members access to technical papers, conference proceedings, exclusive workshops, and training courses, including collaborations with SPIE and OEOSC on ISO 10110 training.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Developing advanced optics technologies through consortium researchDevelops advanced optics technologies, testing equipment, and specialized materials via the Defense Precision Optics Consortium to support scalable manufacturing production operations.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$89K
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue——
Investment income$6K7%
Other revenue$9K
expenses
Total expenses$139K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$88K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$331K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$331K
1 years on record · 2025–2025
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yvette Pagano | Director | 39 | $88K |
relationships · 38
Who they work with
- ANSI Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- APOMA Network — Hosts the APOMA Tech Workshop as part of its professional network activities.
- ASTM International Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- AmeriCOM Partner — Collaborates with AMERICAN PRECISION OPTICS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION as a member organization focused on workforce development and manufacturing innovation in the precision optics industry.
- California Institute of Technology Partner — Co-organizes and operates the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) visited during the APOMA Technical Workshop.
- Edmund Optics Partner — Presented on the Beilby layer and molecular-level glass surface interactions during polishing at the APOMA workshop.
- Esco Optics Partner — Provided additional support for APOMA’s donation to Front Range Community College and participated in the workshop.
- Front Range Community College Partner — Hosted an open house for the APOMA workshop and received a donation to support its Optics Technology Program.
- International Organization for Standardization Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- Laurin Publishing Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Partner — Contributed a presentation on rules of thumb for optical fabrication at the APOMA workshop.
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory National Ignition Facility Partner — Invited to give talks at the 2018 APOMA Workshop on Laser Tech.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Partner — Co-organizes and operates the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) visited during the APOMA Technical Workshop.
- Monroe Community College Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Government — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Partner — Provided a laboratory tour for APOMA workshop participants, including access to laser metrology, atomic clock, and 3D printing labs.
- National Science Foundation Government — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- OEOSC Partner — Collaborates with APOMA on delivering ISO 10110 training courses.
- OSA Partner — Coordinates meeting schedules with OSA conferences to align with major industry events.
- Optica Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- Optics and Electro-Optics Standards Council Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- RK Partners Partner — Designated as APOMA's first Preferred Partner, providing tax credit and incentive services to members.
- SPIE Partner — Collaborates with APOMA on delivering ISO 10110 training courses.
- SPIE Partner — Collaborates with SPIE to participate in the Photonics West event.
- SPIE Partner — Coordinates APOMA meetings during SPIE's national conventions.
- SPIE Partner — Coordinates meeting schedules with SPIE conferences to align with major industry events.
- SPIE Partner — Jointly selects scholarship recipients and administers scholarship funds with APOMA.
- SPIE Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- Society of Vacuum Coaters Partner — Provides industry-related links to standards organizations as a resource for the optics industry
- ThorLabs Partner — Provided additional support for APOMA’s donation to Front Range Community College.
+ 8 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Industry Collaboration for Shared Advancementmethodology: industry_collaborationBy fostering cooperation among manufacturers, industry partners, academic institutions, and government, APOMA strengthens the fragmented precision optics ecosystem to sustain technological innovation and growth because collective action amplifies resources, knowledge, and advocacy impact.
- Peer and Technical Knowledge Exchange to Drive Innovationmethodology: peer_network_knowledge_exchangeBy creating structured forums for peer-to-peer learning and technical workshops, APOMA advances innovation and operational excellence because frontline practitioners sharing real-world insights generate more applicable and trusted knowledge than top-down dissemination.
- Standardization as a Foundation for Manufacturing Excellencemethodology: standards-adoptionBy promoting coordinated adoption of technical standards like ISO 10110 and developing inspection criteria, APOMA improves manufacturing quality and interoperability because shared specifications reduce errors, enhance precision, and enable scalable production.
- Workforce Ecosystem Development for Sustainable Capacitymethodology: workforce-ecosystem-developmentBy integrating community colleges, manufacturers, and nonprofits into regional ecosystems, APOMA builds a trained technician pipeline because localized, collaborative training programs align with industry needs and increase workforce readiness more effectively than isolated efforts.