Fairmount Technologies Welcomes James Taylor as CEO and COO

James Taylor, Ph.D.

Fairmount Technologies is pleased to announce that James Taylor, Ph.D., will join the company as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, effective July 20, 2026.

Jim brings more than 30 years of experience leading advanced manufacturing, engineering, product development, global supply chain, and operational improvement initiatives. Throughout his career, he has helped organizations scale complex operations, improve financial performance, launch new technologies, and build high-performing technical teams.

Most recently, Jim served as Vice President of DNA at Ancestry, where he was responsible for DNA science, engineering, research and development, supply chain, and operations. In that role, he oversaw a global supply chain supporting millions of DNA tests annually and managed their global distribution and reverse logistics networks.

His work at Ancestry included expanding international operations, improving product design and process performance, negotiating major supply and service agreements, developing new sample collection technologies, and maintaining continuity across a complex global network servicing sales in more than 130 countries. He also led initiatives involving artificial intelligence, laboratory processing, automation, regulatory compliance, and operational performance management.

Before joining Ancestry, Jim held senior leadership positions at several well-known manufacturing and technology companies.

As Vice President of Worldwide Operations at the L.S. Starrett Company, he managed manufacturing operations across North America, China, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. He also held direct profit-and-loss responsibility and led efforts involving enterprise systems, supply chain development, new product introduction, safety, and continuous improvement.

At Zygo Corporation, Jim served as Division Vice President of Operations and previously as Director of Optical Components Manufacturing. His responsibilities included overseeing multiple manufacturing sites, leading post-acquisition integration activities, improving production performance, and supporting the development of advanced optical manufacturing technologies for commercial, aerospace, defense, and scientific applications. 

Jim’s experience combines executive leadership with a deep technical foundation. He holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and is a Certified Supply Chain Professional. He has also served on the faculty of Rochester Institute of Technology and North Carolina State University, teaching courses in manufacturing systems, precision metrology, CAD/CAM, Lean, Six Sigma, and advanced production technologies.

In addition to his leadership and academic experience, Jim is an accomplished inventor and technical contributor. His work includes eight U.S. and international patent filings, 18 refereed journal articles, more than 50 conference presentations and invited lectures, and over 25 technical reports.

Jim describes his leadership style as hands-on, technically rigorous, collaborative, and focused on recognizing the contributions of employees at every level. His approach aligns closely with Fairmount Technologies’ commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and the advancement of next-generation manufacturing capabilities.

As part of this leadership transition, Fairmount Technologies founder Vis Madhavan, Ph.D., will remain actively involved with the company as Chief Technical Officer. Vis founded FT in 2008 and has served as its CEO since that time, leading the development of the company’s core manufacturing processes and machine technologies. Going forward, he will focus more directly on advancing the technology behind Fairmount’s processes, implementing those capabilities in the machines currently in production, and supporting the development of new machines and manufacturing solutions.

As CEO and COO, Jim will lead Fairmount Technologies’ strategic direction and day-to-day operations as the company enters its next phase of growth. His priorities will include scaling the organization, strengthening operational systems, developing and advancing machine production and manufacturing technologies, and supporting the continued commercialization of Fairmount’s capabilities.

“We are excited to welcome Jim to Fairmount Technologies,” said Vis Madhavan, CTO. “His combination of technical expertise, operational leadership, and experience growing complex organizations makes him exceptionally well suited to lead FT forward.”

Jim added, “I am incredibly excited to join Fairmount Technologies at such a pivotal time in the company's journey. We are on a remarkable growth trajectory that will make the next several years both challenging and immensely rewarding. The team is among the most talented and dedicated groups of professionals I have ever had the privilege to work with, and I am confident that together we will bring transformative enabling technologies to market that provide critical capabilities for the defense and aerospace industries. 

The foundation established through more than two decades of research and development has positioned Fairmount Technologies for this exciting next phase. We now have the opportunity to build on that innovation by commercializing these breakthrough technologies, scaling our manufacturing capabilities, and deploying these advanced manufacturing platforms throughout the defense and aerospace infrastructure. I look forward to working alongside this exceptional team as we help shape the future of advanced manufacturing and deliver meaningful impact to our customers and the industries we serve.” 

Please join us in welcoming Jim to the Fairmount Technologies team.