Page 23 - Harnett Life Fall 2020

That kind of ability can easily go to your head. But what you That dedication is something Beasley saw over the course of
quickly learn from speaking with Price and pretty much anyone his friend’s journey, from that first day in laser camp through
around him is that there’s no arrogant bone in his body. He’s the degree program and onto the job. It has left an impres-
just a curious, hard-working young man who cares about the sion that strikes even someone with Beasley’s own impressive
people around him: family, friends, colleagues and his church. background. “Joseph is the best I have ever seen,” the teacher
Quiet. That may be the description you hear most. Dr. David says, “as a student, friend, son and human being.”
Creasey, CEO of Wasatch Photonics, where Price works, says
his brilliant employee is actually “very quiet and quite shy” To learn more about the CCCC Laser and Photonics Technol-
and “someone who doesn’t sing his own praises,” even though ogy program, visit www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/lasers-
there’s a lot to sing about. photonics/.

Price is a R&D engineering technician for the company based
in Logan, Utah, following in a long line of CCCC students
who have been recruited to work at a Wasatch location near
Raleigh-Durham International Airport that produces spectrom-
eters and complex Optical Coherence Tomography equipment
— machines that give ophthalmologists non-invasive images
to help diagnose eye disease. Creasey says his company fo-
cuses its recruiting efforts on finding technicians who have the
drive and personal skills needed to learn business techniques
on the job and grow into successful company leaders. (“You
can teach the head part,” he says, “but you can’t buy passion.”)
Creasey and other executives saw that drive in Price right from
the start — even during the job interview, when Price radiated a
passion for science and came to the discussion with knowledge
about the company and plenty of serious, thoughtful questions.
They continued to see it after Price joined the company went
about his work assembling and testing machines, while helping Jerry Lewis - Owner
solve any number of unanticipated problems that arose along MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
the way. H

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Creasey say doctoral work would barely be a challenge. Who
knows how things will unfold. But at this moment in time,
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Harnett Life ~ Fall 2020