T Q&A

Steve Juliver is the director of administration and contacts for EOS Technologies, which recently opened a new facility in Tucson. Juliver, originally from Canada, has worked for many different companies, including Motorola. EOS Technologies specializes in three main areas: telescopes, lasers and the common remotely operated weapons stations, or CROWS. When Juliver talks about CROWS, there is an obvious sense of pride in his voice. While he doesn't know for sure how many lives have been spared because of the technology, used by the military, he does know that there is one group of people who is very appreciative. "I get letters from mothers," Juliver said with a smile. The space lasers EOS Technologies makes are so powerful that they can--from Australia--move potentially dangerous debris floating in space out of the way for space shuttles, which can be harmed by even very small bits of material. Juliver also sits on the Governor's Board for Workforce Policy, well as the Pima County Workforce Investment Board. For more information, visit www.eostech.com.

In layman's terms, what is CROWS?

CROWS provides a gunner the ability to place first-shot rounds on a target while seated under the armored protection of a vehicle, at up to 40 kilometers per hour, at a distance of five kilometers. There's a day-and-night camera on top and a laser range finder. So the gunner is able to see using a flat-panel display and a joystick. Once they lock onto a target, the laser range finder can track that target--it knows if the target moves, or the vehicle moves--and with one shot, the guy, or whoever the target is, is down. With this, there's no collateral damage.

It's saving people.

It's saving people, but it's also making them more efficient. They have to carry less equipment; they have better vision day and night, and it's protecting those around them.

That's some amazing technology. How did you get involved in it?

My background is high-tech manufacturing. I spent most of my career doing mergers, acquisitions and start-ups. I joined EOS Technologies a little more than a year ago. We were 14 people, and now we've got about 85 people, and a brand new state-of-the-art electro-optical manufacturing facility.

How much does one CROWS cost?

The Army pays about $200,000 per unit.

So, you aren't involved in the science side?

No, my background is in administration.

What did you go to school for?

Business administration from the University of Montreal.

How did you get here?

I had a business in Connecticut, and I came to Tucson for a vacation. It was in the middle of a bad winter in Connecticut, and when I got out of the plane, and felt that heat, I knew I wanted to stay here. And I bought a house that week as an investment. Little did I know I would actually move here a year later.

What's your favorite thing about Tucson?

I used to think it was the weather, but I now think it's the people. The culture and the people are great, and we've got a ready trained high-tech workforce. It's easy to start technology-based businesses here.

Where do you see the company going in the future?

Well, we've been experiencing exponential growth for the past 12 to 18 months, and I don't expect it to stop. From a strategic standpoint, I see us expanding our capabilities in the area of both ground-based and space-based lasers.

Do you ever see CROWS technology being used in ways other than for weapons?

Yes. The technology itself is being used for non-weapons applications like perimeter surveillance.

When did the company begin making space lasers?

In 1985.

Where are they located?

Canberra, Australia.

What can the space lasers do?

The intent of the lasers is to track, target and move orbiting items that are near Earth's orbit.