Our Team and Affiliates
James Vidricksen
Owner and Principal Engineer
Abbas Fardoun
Abbas A. Fardoun received the B.S. degree from the University of Houston, Houston, TX, in 1988, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1990 and 1994, respectively. He was with Advanced Energy Inc., from 1994 to 1996, where he was involved with high-frequency power supply design. From 1996 to 1998, he was with Delphi, where he worked on electrical power steering. From 1998 to 2006, he was with TRW Automotive. Since 2006, he has been with the Department of Electrical Engineering, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, where he is currently a full Professor. He is the holder of six patents related to AC drives and automotive applications. His main interests are AC drives and power electronics for Automotive renewable energy applications. Dr. Fardoun received the Hariri Foundation Distinguished Graduate Award in 1994 and the TRW Patent Award in 1999.
Robert Weiss
Lt. Col. Weiss’ 30-year career as a civilian automotive engineer covers Product Development and Manufacturing Facilities Engineering. He is a subject matter expert in on-board diagnostic (OBD) methodologies and technology and since 2021 has served as the Chairperson of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Vehicle E/E Systems Diagnostic Standards Committee. He is currently authoring the SAE J1699-5 Compliance Test Cases Recommended Practice, and is a regular presenter at SAE OBD Symposiums. His extensive automotive experience includes managing technical and regulatory aspects of OBD on a wide range of vehicle platforms, including gasolines, diesel , hybrids and electric vehicles for Ford, General Motors, Cummins, Fiat-Chrysler Automotive, Mahindra, and PACCAR.
Lt. Col. Weiss’ 21-year military career encompasses 7 years of active duty associated with scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI) which involved reverse engineering foreign missile systems. He also served 14 years as a reservist in various roles, including leading a squadron of reservists in the Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS) Analysis Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio. He has also served as an Intelligence Officer with the 927th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) and as Eurasia Branch Chief and Joint Operations Officer as part of Joint Reserve Intelligence Support Element at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and WPAFB.
Lt. Col. Weiss has a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Dayton. He completed Air Force Squadron Officer School and Air Command and Staff College curricula. He was Lead Inventor, US Patent #8244427, Modular Temperature Performance Diagnostic for a Vehicle and Coauthor: Defensive Publication, Hybrid High Voltage Battery Pack Voltage Lid Performance Diagnostic. Weiss is a Six Sigma Green Belt with experience performing industry process improvement projects.
Joel Key
Joel Key is an experienced engineering consultant, specializing in embedded systems, firmware development, and engineering process optimization. He partners with organizations across automotive, industrial, and technology sectors to accelerate product development and enhance product reliability.
Joel’s portfolio includes IoT and vehicle radar sensors, coolant valves and actuators, automotive electric motor control firmware, and flow meters for industrial automation. He has successfully led cross-functional teams to bring products from concept to commercial launch, and is skilled at troubleshooting field issues, scaling engineering teams, and streamlining product delivery.
With a strong background in systems, software, and process engineering, Joel has built and refined engineering processes that have achieved ISO 61508 Functional Safety certification for safety-critical systems. He is recognized for his hands-on leadership, clear communication, and ability to deliver practical, tailored solutions for organizations of all sizes, from startups to global manufacturers.
Clients value Joel’s technical expertise and collaborative approach, trusting him to help them innovate with confidence and achieve lasting results.