John Madocks - President
John founded General Plasma 10 years ago and has 25 years of experience in thin film vacuum equipment. In the past 7 years John has invented several fundamentally new plasma sources and has patents issued or pending for significant improvements to ion sources and magnetron sputter cathodes. He is well known in the vacuum coating industry, presenting his inventions at industry conventions. John is a “larger than life” character whose passion for engineering and drive for excellence make General Plasma an innovation leader. John has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the California Polytechnic Institute and is an avid outdoor hiking fan. Despite his busy schedule, John volunteers his time as a counselor with young people in Tucson. John is rarely seen without co-founder and chief security dog Ben, who provides General Plasma with a world class intruder detection system.
Patrick Marcus, PhD - Director of Electrical Engineering
Patrick has been with General Plasma since October 2000 and earned his doctorate in Biomedical Engineering and BA in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona. Patrick leads General Plasma’s electrical engineering and controls department and is responsible for developing innovative solutions to meet customer’s needs. His experience in control systems, custom electronics, and sensor design are reflected in the state-of-the-art control systems built in General Plasma’s products. Patrick also enjoys creating public sculptures which integrate solar powered displays of light, as well as a role as an assistant teacher of salsa dancing.
Mark George, PhD - Director of Research
Mark joined General Plasma in January 2007, and has more than 20 years’ experience in thin film technologies. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University. Prior to joining General Plasma, Mark held similar positions at Deposition Sciences, Inc and Air Products Corporation. His work experience includes developing new thin film materials, multi-layer optical coatings, CVD processes for tungsten and tungsten silicide, CVD precursor delivery systems, and new chemistries for semiconductor manufacturing processes. Mark is a certified wine connoisseur, and is still recovering from his move to Tucson from California’s wine country.
Steve Smith - Director of Operations
Steve has been an integral part of General Plasma since January 2003. Steve has been intricately involved in the design and development of General Plasma’s advanced source technologies, taking them from concepts to products. Recently, Steve completed the delivery of a set custom photovoltaic production systems for our valued clients, starting from conceptual design to global deployment of 13 machines in 24 months. His leadership and organization expertise helped guide the team through this successful effort in this extremely short lead time effort. Prior to his career at General Plasma, Steve was a professional motorbike racer in the AMA series, a sport that raised his attention to detail to a whole new dimension - when flying around the track at triple digit speeds, it is imperative to know that your machine is operating in top condition, and the only way to do this is inspect every little detail before every race. The combination of his meticulous attention to detail, machine knowledge and logistics proficiency ensures General Plasma will continue to deliver first-class products on time. Steve received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University. Steve is a devoted gear head and can often be seen driving around Tucson in an assortment of custom turned sports cars and bikes.