BIO

Mike Pyska is the principal and founder of Vulcan Enterprises LLC. He got his start in electronics while racing slot cars and building Heathkits as a child. After graduating SUNY Buffalo with a BSEE Magna Cum Laude, he started his career by helping design the worlds first 16 bit microprocessor TMS9900.

He continued in the silicon valley area with the data path design of an integrated version of the Interdata 8/32 minicomputer. Following that he participated in the design and validation of a CMOS equivalent of the Intel 8086, then took responsibility for the 80c88 processor which was used in the worlds first battery operated portable IBM compatible PC.

That experience led him to Phoenix AZ as the design manager and architect for the family of embedded x86 processors. During his time at Intel, he was awarded the very first Applications Fellowship, an opportunity for one Intel employee to spend 6 months developing an application touting the benefits of a current Intel product. His choice was to demonstrate the abilities of the then new "flash" memory by monitoring and recording critical parameters without any moving parts, and proved the design by installing and operating it on a racing kart.

Mr. Pyska started his entrepreneurial career with Vulcan Enterprises Inc. and developed a general purpose data acquisition system based on the then new PCMCIA memory cards. Although the platform was originally targeted toward the performance automotive industry, it was later acquired by a major medical instrument company for in home fetal monitoring.

He then started his consulting career with local and global clients, developing algorithms for a military jet fighter ejection seat and coordinating methodologies for embedded development and test of engine controllers for a major American automotive manufacturer.

In 1998 he accepted an offer to architect and define microcontrollers for the then emerging Microchip company, and while in that position, he architected their first USB device and led a team to develop it, utilizing the new to Microchip technology of HDL design, standard cell placement and auto routing. He also co-developed the dsPIC instruction set then managed the architecture and design efforts of the ill fated ROM division. While at Microchip, he served on the Patent and Technology Review Committee and was awarded 3 patents.

Currently, Mr. Pyska has returned to consulting and development as Vulcan Enterprises LLC. Among the various projects he was assigned, he coordinated the integration of instruments for a major lab and life sciences instrumentation company which was awarded R&D Magazines top 100 product of the year. Also notable was the development of the RF communications system for an intelligent medical device, a product that earned an honorable mention in the 2013 NASA Tech Brief Design contest.

Always a builder, he previously led the electronic programs at the Chandler TechShop and enjoys using the facilities there. He currently resides with his wife in Phoenix and enjoys driving Porsches, on and off the track.