2009 30 under 40 winners

Brandon Tinianov, 39

Chief technology officer, Serious Materials, Sunnyvale, Calif.

Tinianov was drawn to engineering by his desire to find clear-cut solutions to challenging projects. Little did he realize how much “gray area” would come into his career. “As an engineer I thought there’s … black and white and no ethical issues. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. So much of engineering in any industry has little to do with what we can punch into a calculator.” In the glass industry, he finds success in being truthful about what he knows, as well as what he doesn’t know. “With our company, we show all of our test data naked. And if we don’t have it, we’ll be the first to admit we don’t have it. That’s how we really engage the glass industry, with technical transparency.”

In fact, Tinianov is so interested in the ethics of design that he may venture into teaching in order to share his experiences. “One day, I would love to work as a college professor and teach engineering ethics. You think you’ve got to get it in on time and in the budget and everyone’s going to cheer, but it’s not like that. Engineering will push your conservative nature to the limit.”

His early career and education was in acoustics and he found himself designing acoustical windows. He has nine patents and more than 20 patents pending.

One-word description of the glass industry: Crucial
One-word description of self: Optimistic
Career history: 2006-present, chief technology officer, Serious Materials Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif.; 2004-06, vice president of engineering, Quiet Solution LLC, Sunnyvale; 2002-04, research/group manager, Johns Manville, Littleton, Colo.; 1996-2002, section manager, Johns Manville, Littleton; 2001-04, visiting professor and co-principle investigator, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.; 1994-96, technical director/laboratory manager, Acoustic Systems Inc., Austin
Education: 2004, Doctorate in Engineering Systems, Colorado School of Mines, Golden; 2000, Master of Engineering, mechanical engineering with a focus in acoustics, University of Texas, Austin; 1991, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans
Diversions: Cycling
Family: Wife, Stacey; daughter, Kendal, 7, and son Riley, 6
Favorite book: “Siddhartha,” Hermann Hesse; anything by Douglas Coupland
If a movie were made about your life, who would you cast to play you? “I feel quirky enough that I think Johnny Depp could do me justice. He could definitely capture the mania just fine.”
Connections: 1250 Elko Drive, Sunnyvale, CA, 94089, 800/797-8159, btinianov@seriousmaterials.com, www.seriousmaterials.com

 
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