Emerging Technologies

About the Speaker

Dr. Vincent D. (Chuck) Mattera, Jr, is a distinguished leader in the laser technology, photonics, and advanced semiconductor materials industries. He recently retired as the Chair and CEO of Coherent Corp. (formerly II-VI Incorporated, whose name changed after the acquisition of Coherent), in which capacity he served from 2016 to 2024. Under his leadership during his Second Act of 20 years, the company experienced significant growth, diversification and transformation. It achieved new heights of market leadership, including by the strategic acquisitions of Finisar and Coherent, Inc. which substantially expanded II-VI's reach into lasers, photonics, compound semiconductors, and advanced semiconductor materials and optics. Today, the company underpins every major market inflection.

He has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Brown University, and a BS in Chemistry from URI. Dr. Mattera is known as a hands-on technical operator with an enthusiastic and empathetic leadership style and a great sense of urgency around creating competitive advantage through breakthrough technologies at scale. He is recognized for making bold strategic decisions that have transformed industries. He is passionate about innovation, and inspiring top talent while providing sustainable breakthrough solutions that are enabling markets with irreversible megatrends. In addition to the Photonics ecosystem, his current focus is on opportunities to contribute to the energy transition, defense and space tech, the re-industrialization of America, and life sciences

Prior to his tenure at Coherent Corp., Dr. Mattera spent his First Act of 20 years in leadership roles at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, and Agere Systems, focusing on compound semiconductor optoelectronics, semiconductor laser devices, and related cutting-edge research and development for fiber-optic communications. Beyond his corporate leadership, Dr. Mattera is a former member of the US-Japan Business Council Board, and the Business Roundtable. He is a distinguished fellow of the World Economic Forum, a member of the Cleveland Clinic Florida Board of Directors, and a non-scholarly member of the Foreign Policy Leadership Council at the Brookings Institution. His leadership and vision continue to shape industries and inspire innovation and participants across sectors.

Chuck is currently the President and CEO of Avalanche Thinking, Inc. He believes that the best is yet to come and so is excited about the possibility of leveraging his experience and expanding his networks to have another far-reaching impact during his Third Act-of the Next 20 years through shared values, strategic innovation, collaboration, execution and mentoring.