While working towards earning his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Concentration in Mechatronics) from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA Tech). Rufus Brown began a four-year co-op with ESAB Welding and Cutting Products in their CNC Shape Cutting Division. Upon graduation, he continued with ESAB as a mechanical design engineer concentrating on servo drive systems and robotics controlled by their in-house developed CNC and distributed bus components. Rufus quickly rose through the ranks becoming one of the youngest technical department managers in company history. His responsibilities included application and design engineering along with service and support of large custom automation projects for military, railcar, heavy fabricator, steel service centers and shipyard customers, totaling 200+ projects annually. During this time he broadened his experience to include electrical and software systems as applied to CNC thermal and non-thermal cutting processes (Plasma, Oxy-Fuel, Laser, Waterjet, Drilling and Part Labeling). After eight years he was promoted to Global Research and Development Director, Cutting Systems, where he deployed the successes from his North American experience into other markets including Germany, China, India, and Brazil, managing a team of 50+ engineers. While in this position he implemented one of the first fully “CE Machinery Directive Safety” compliant product lines in the gantry shape cutting market. After 17 years with ESAB, Rufus took his extensive OEM design and sales skills to R. L. Matus & Associates where he partners with our Sales Engineers and distributors in specifying our product lines to create innovative electromechanical solutions and control platforms for our OEMs and end-users.