Ken Applebaum

Ken Applebaum is the Founder and CEO of COTSWORKS based in Cleveland, Ohio, and Fulda, Germany. COTSWORKS is an innovative manufacturer of rugged optical components and subsystems for harsh environment networking and sensing applications. Ken founded the company after a 20-year career in electronics, embedded engineering, and optics. Since founding COTSWORKS, Ken has designed unique optical networks for some of the world’s leading OEMs of commercial and military avionics, tactical military systems, and restricted-access U.S. Government manufacturing and vehicles.

Ken has presented papers at various avionics and fiber optics industry events and conferences and has numerous patents awarded, and in process, for harsh environment fiber optics. He resides in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife, three sons, and two Labradors who help keep an eye on COTSWORKS.