Management Team

It takes many amazing people to create a successful organization like Engineered Software, Inc. and the management team at ESI is no exception. ESI’s Management Team is dedicated to the development of top quality products, dependable business relationships and employee growth. They lead by personal example, encouraging excellence through honesty and reliability, creativity and employee empowerment.

Years of pioneering experience in leadership, engineering and software development have given the ESI Management Team a comprehensive vision as well as an end-to-end understanding of the strategic business needs of its customers. Like all ESI employees, ESI's leaders consider themselves an integral part of each customer's long-term success.

	Ray Hardee CEO & Vice President of Engineering One of the principal founders of Engineered Software, Ray Hardee is also Co-Owner and Chief Engineer. Starting in 1982 Hardee was chiefly responsible for engineering and sales for Engineered Software. Prior to establishing Engineered Software, Hardee had over 13 years in the power generation industry. Hardee graduated with Honors from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Upon graduation, Hardee became an officer in the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power program and qualified submarines.
After the Navy, Hardee worked for Ebasco Services, and was involved in the start-up and test group where he would perform the pre-operational tests for both nuclear and fossil power plants. Hardee has contributed dozens of articles and papers to various magazines and standards publications and has given over a thousand presentations on fluid piping around the world.

	Carolyn Popp President & Chief Technical Officer Principal, Co-Owner and Chief Technical Officer, Carolyn Popp has been with Engineered Software, Inc. since 1982. First holding the positions of Developer, Support, and maintaining financials of the company, Popp has been one of the driving forces in Engineered Software’s success. Popp received her Bachelor’s in Mathematics from Saint Bonaventure University in Olean, NY. She received her minor in Physics, graduating cum laude, and was first in her department.
Popp’s previous experience stems from her three years as a software developer for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Before then she worked as a Software Engineer at Aerojet Nuclear and spent over two years as a Systems Engineer for IBM.

	Michael Blondin Chief Operating Officer Michael Blondin began with Engineered Software in 2005 as Marketing Manager, with over nine years of experience in marketing and sales. Blondin holds a B.A. in Political Science from Western Washington University and a M.B.A. from the Kogod School of Business, American University in Washington, D.C. Most recently Blondin held a senior marketing management position at the Tacoma Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau in Tacoma, WA.
Blondin draws from his experiences in sales and marketing roles at True Careers, an Internet based start-up within Sallie Mae, Inc. in Reston, VA and at Aristotle International, a political technology company in Washington, D.C. Blondin also served as a Legislative Aide to Congressman Brian Baird in Washington, D.C.

	Zac Vawter Vice President of Programming Hired in 2002 by Engineered Software, Zac Vawter became a full time software developer upon completing his Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science. Vawter obtained a BS in Computer Science from Saint Martin’s University, in Lacey Washington. Prior to working for Engineered Software, Inc., Vawter had four years of software development experience as the Assistant Network Administrator for Saint Martin’s University.