Our Team
Kimberly Hutton
President
Kimberly has been with COLTS since its inception in 1997 and has since spent over 25 years in the independent testing industry. She started the business with her father, John Young, and worked with him to grow COLTS from a small, optical-centric independent testing laboratory to a well-known lab also specializing in personal protection equipment and military APEL testing. Kimberly has had experience with just about every position leading up to her presidency, which allowed her to accumulate intricate knowledge of all aspects of the business. Her specific experience includes finance and accounting, human resources, marketing, quality systems, client services, business development, and long-range strategic planning. Kimberly is now responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business, with a focus on maintaining client relationships and making a successful workplace for COLTS employees.
Jacob Gary
Director of Operations
Jacob has 12 years of experience in the optical industry and over 15 years in the quality management realm. He brings to COLTS an education from Purdue University and ample experience in ISO quality management system maintenance, auditing of ISO systems, and quality control. Jacob’s skills include project, systems, and personnel management, as well as regulatory compliance and research & development. His broad and extensive experience lends itself well to his current position, where he is responsible for maintaining the daily operations, business strategies, COLTS ISO 17025 accreditation, conducting internal audits, managing document control systems, developing and validating new test methods, as well as other quality and management-related tasks.
Jason Fawell
Technical Engineer
Jason is an ABO certified optician with 24 years of experience in the optical industry. In his first few years, he worked as a lab technician in corporate retail chains where he acquired skills such as lens manufacturing and dispensing, staff management, and development. For the past 20 years, Jason has been at COLTS working in various positions allowing him to gain years of experience in testing and the processing of frames, lenses, and safety protective equipment. In his current role as Technical Engineer, Jason works intricately with processing PPE and Ophthalmic samples, maintaining our 5S system, and training new and current personnel.
Dale Payne
Technical Services Manager (PPE)
Dale has 30 years of experience in the optical industry, with extensive experience in managing wholesale laboratories. He has held various positions in his 21 years with COLTS, which has allowed him to gain knowledge in many disciplines which include building test equipment, training technicians, and conducting educational classes for clients, as well as developing procedures and reports in accordance with industry standards. Dale has extensive knowledge in the ophthalmic industry and testing, as well as personal protection equipment for the eye and face. As a Technical Services Manager, Dale is the main point of contact for all personal protection equipment testing with a focus on client services and education.
Gregory Williams
Technical Consultant
Greg is an ABO certified optician and a Level 3 accredited ABO CE lecturer with more than 40 years of experience in the optical industry. His years of experience include working in wholesale laboratories, private practice, and corporate retail chains. Greg’s extensive skills include lens manufacturing, dispensing, staff management and development. In his 15 years with COLTS, he has become an expert in optical testing and the processing of frames, lenses, hard hats, and safety protective equipment, as well as being actively involved in client education and CE lecturing. He serves as the Vice Chairman for the TVC Lens Technical Committee and the COLTS representative & technical expert on both ANSI Z80.1 and ANSI Z80.3 standards committees.
Daryl Neely
Technical Consultant
Daryl is a Quality Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the optical industry. His vast experience includes working in the quality engineering discipline, as well as the supervision of a test lab for a large lens manufacturer. He has extensive experience in the statistical analysis of data, especially as related to the optical industry. Furthermore, he is knowledgeable in the areas of quality systems, continuous improvement, auditing, standard operating procedure, development, and statistical process control techniques.