Dwight D. Carlson's expertise in entrepreneurial leadership began long before his present post as Chairman and CEO of Coherix, a high definition metrology company utilizing Digital Holographic Imaging (DHI) invented at the University of Michigan to optimize manufacturing processes in the automotive and semiconductor markets.

Prior to Coherix, Mr. Carlson founded Perceptron, Inc., a global leader in three-dimensional machine vision systems, and served as President and CEO from 1981-1996. Perceptron pioneered manufacturing techniques that not only improved quality, but also significantly reduced cost, while shortening the time to bring a new auto model to market. In the late nineties, when Mr. Carlson stepped down, Perceptron had become a public company with sales of $50 million and a market valuation of $350 million. Prior to Perceptron, Mr. Carlson founded XYCOM, Inc., a leader in industrial microcomputers, and served as President and CEO from 1968-1981. He co-founded and developed the first microcomputer-based vehicle emissions test system. In early 1973, Mr. Carlson’s team created the first microcomputer used for self-service gas pump dispensing, resulting in the industry standard that is used in gas pumps all over the world today.

Mr. Carlson has served as Chairman of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), formerly the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI). The not-for-profit MMTC exists to enhance the global competitiveness of Michigan‘s small and mid-size manufacturers. In addition, Mr. Carlson co-founded and served as Chairman of the Auto Body Consortium (ABC, Inc.), formed to perform collaborative research between the Big Three automakers, the auto supply base, research universities, and federal research laboratories.

He also served on the Advisory Board for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Advisory Board of the Engineering College of the University of Michigan, and co-chaired the National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM) in Washington, DC. He is a member of the S.M. Wu Foundation board of directors.

Today, Mr. Carlson serves as Founder and Chairman of the Engineering & Manufacturing Alliance (EMA), a similar consortium as the Auto Body Consortium. EMA focuses on powertrain, engine and chassis industry issues and brings universities, industry and government together to solve complex, US industry-wide challenges. He also serves as Chairman of the Michigan Innovation Certificate of Deposit (MICD) Advisory Board, a new, innovative financing vehicle for small to medium sized companies. Mr. Carlson was appointed to the Technical Advisory Panel for the Ngee Ann Polytechnic/AEM-Evertech Centre of Innovation (NACOI), in March, 2005.

Dwight Carlson is a graduate of the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan.