Roland Christen’s  life-long interest in astronomy led him to apply his electrical engineering skills to the development of motor drives for commercial mounts in 1975. Astro-Physics was born. He remained actively employed in the aero-space world specializing in power electronics as he continued to develop additional accessories and eventually mounts and refractors. Early refractor optics were designed following hours of calculations on his HP calculator and miles of tape. In the early 1980s, Roland’s triplet refractors were shown at the Stellaphane and Riverside star parties gaining acclaim for their sharpness and contrast. Many amateurs were hungry for scopes of this quality and asked Roland to produce them commercially. The rest is history…

In 1984, Marjorie and Roland married and soon after left secure employment to strike out full-time on their own.  Roland, the creative design and production force, continued to expand and improve the product line, while Marj managed the business side of Astro-Physics.  Both are amazed at the technological leaps in optical, mechanical, electronic equipment and software design that have occurred since those early days. The observatory and excellent seeing conditions at Las Campanas have provided an ideal test environment for the most critical work as we move into the future.

Astro-Physics is honored for the opportunity to house its 12-inch F/8 Maksutov-Cassegrain and 1600 GTO at LCO for the benefit of science. It also allows us to do remote imaging research.

Howard is a native of the Midwest with a lifelong interest in science in general, and astronomy in particular. He’s been happily married for the past 30+ years to Miriam, whom he met in a Gilbert & Sullivan repertoire theater group where they both performed. Howard and Miriam owned and operated a motel / restaurant and lounge in a small town near Kansas City Missouri for 13 years. The grueling 24/7/365 demands of that trio of businesses took their toll, and getting out of there was the second-best thing that could have happened. The best thing was then finding Howard’s current position as technical support specialist for Astro-Physics, Inc. By a stroke of luck, Howard was lurking on the Astro-Physics website “drooling over the toys” when he noticed the job opening shortly after the sale of the motel. He was employed by AP within 2 weeks, and as he likes to say: “They haven’t gotten rid of me yet!” Howard considers the LCRO project to be the opportunity of a lifetime, and is truly humbled by the caliber of astronomers with whom he is fortunate enough to collaborate.

John E. Hoot is currently the Director of SSC Observatories. Previously, he was the founder and President of Software Systems Consulting for 34 years. He is an engineer specializing in embedded systems design, robotics, remote sensing instrumentation and signal processing hardware and software. He is a graduate of University of Michigan (’74) holding degrees in electrical and computer engineering. He holds over 15 patents in instrumentation and automation and is the author of numerous articles in periodicals and referred journals.

His commercial astronomical instrument designs include the Meade Autostar, Lightswitch and StarLocked telescopes. He is the designer and builder of the Hoot-Vega Radio Telescope in Benson Arizona, and the lead systems integrator for LCRO and MWOBOT remote observatories. He has been an active and avid astronomer for over 50 years. Currently he observers from SSC Observatories automated observatories. His research interests include astro-imaging, photometry, astrometry, spectroscopy, radio astronomy, automated data collection and analysis.

Dave Jurasevich is a degreed mechanical engineer whose career spanned over 35 years in the chemical industry both domestically, in the Middle East and Far East.

His lifelong passion for the cosmos began at age nine when he first glimpsed the ringed planet Saturn through a large amateur telescope. Dave’s interest in astronomy continued to mature through the years with acquisition of progressively more sophisticated astronomical gear, eventually leading to a commitment in astrophotography. Exploring and recording the wonders of the Universe with the aid of digital technology has been an endeavor Dave has avidly embraced since 2003, with his work widely published in both digital (Starimager.com) and print format. In 2007 he reached the apex of his amateur career by discovery of a hitherto unknown planetary nebula in the constellation Cygnus. PN G75.5+1.7, unofficially dubbed the Soap Bubble Nebula, was formally recognized by the International Astronomical Union on 16 July 2009 by Electronic Telegram No. 1876, and is listed in the CDS SIMBAD database of astronomical objects as PN G75.5+1.7 and also Ju1 for the discoverer.

Upon retirement from the chemical industry Dave pursued other opportunities in astronomy, including six years of service as Superintendent and then Deputy Director of Operations of the historic Mount Wilson Observatory in California as well as a founding stakeholder of the Las Campanas Remote Observatory at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

Michael Long is the former Vice President of GMTO (Giant Magellan Telescope Organization). A serial entrepreneur Mike founded both Premier Wireless, Inc., a manufacturer of wireless video, audio and data systems and American Microwave Technology, which manufactured high power broad-band RF and Microwave amplifiers. Mike has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Chicago with continued graduate studies at UCLA and Stanford University. He has published a number of articles and is co-inventor on two patents. In 2012 Mike joined the Board of Trustee’s of the Carnegie Institute for Science headquartered in Washington DC., and in 2009 Mike became a member of the University of Chicago’s Physical Sciences Division Visiting Committee. Mike’s hobbies include astrophotography, hiking and backpacking.