"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
Henry Ford
Our Mission
Vistex is a manufacturing innovation company that will enable broader adoption of carbon fiber and natural fiber composites. With passion, the Vistex team commercializes the PFL process and continues to solve engineering problems for our customers.
Our Partners & Support
Our Team
Casey Hoffman, Co-founder & CEO
Casey is co-founder and CEO of Vistex Composites. A recipient of the National Science Foundation’s prestigious IGERT PhD Fellowship, he developed automated manufacturing processes for accurately depositing platinum nanoparticles onto fuel cell electrodes at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
He also received his M.S. degree from RPI in 2008 after researching manufacturing methods for advanced composites and inventing the processes used by Vistex. Casey has authored several journal and magazine articles in the fields of composites and fuel cell manufacturing, and has been invited to present at several international conferences. He previously graduated magna cum laude with Honors in Physics from Moravian College in 2006.
When he isn’t working, or eating ice cream, Casey is always looking for his next adventure. He enjoys fishing, soccer, wakeboarding, snorkeling, archery, and almost anything that gives him an excuse to be outdoors.
casey@vistexcomposites.com
Jaron Kuppers, Co-founder & CTO
Jaron is co-founder and CTO of Vistex Composites. As a PhD student at RPI, he developed and demonstrated two technologies for rapid and efficient manufacturing of advanced composites that Vistex is further developing. Jaron authored many peer reviewed journal papers on composites and has been an invited speaker at international composites conferences.
He received his M.S. degree from RPI in 2009 having focused on synthesis and unique properties of Silicon Carbide nanowires on the macroscopic scale. Previously, Jaron worked at Sandia National Laboratories on a variety of fuel cell technologies and microscale systems. He graduated magna cum laude in Mechanical Engineering with focuses in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2006.
Jaron is always ready for travel and outdoor trekking. His hobbies include, green design and architecture, international travel, video games, graphic design, knitting, hiking, and cooking. He is a big fan of supporting local business and attempting to live sustainably.
jaron@vistexcomposites.com
William "Bill" Parks, CFO
William “Bill” Parks, CPA, CMA, MBA, has over 40-years experience in public and private sector companies. As a partner in the private sector firms, Mr. Parks had responsibility for finance of over 20 affiliated entities. He continues to serve on the boards of several of these enterprises. Mr. Parks was controller of a regional commercial real estate firm, managing 15 partnerships with holdings throughout the eastern United States.
Bill enjoys golf, genealogy, and romping around with his two grandkids.
Daniel Walczyk, Manufacturing Consultant
Daniel Walczyk, PhD, PE, is a Professor in the Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace & Nuclear Engineering at RPI and also Associate Director of Manufacturing for the Center for Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS). His academic degrees include a B.S. from Syracuse University (1986), M.S. from Rensselaer (1991), and Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1996), all in mechanical engineering. He is also a licensed professional engineer in New York State. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Walczyk worked in industry as a machine designer for Schneider Packaging Equipment Co., Inc. (2 years) and as a mechanical engineer for GE in their Radar & Sonar Division and in Global Research (5 years total). Since beginning his academic career, he has received several awards and honors including a DAAD Fellowship (1995), NSF Faculty Early CAREER Development Award (1998), Loctite Corporation Summer Engineering Faculty Fellowship (1998), Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (1999), SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award (2000), and ASME Fellow (2011). Dr. Walczyk has published nearly 90 articles, including 40 in refereed journals, and currently holds six US patents.
Dr. Walczyk lives in Brunswick, NY in a 180-year old house with his wife and two sons, and a dog. In his spare time, he has worked as a semi-professional drummer with various musical groups since 1981.