William T. Plummer:

CITATION FOR THE 1997 JOSEPH FRAUNHOFER AWARD, O. S. A.

"For his exceptional accomplishments in the field of optical engineering, for making state-of-the-art optical technology affordable, bringing extremely sophisticated optics into the consumer marketplace, and for his expertise and willingness to participate in all aspects of engineering from technology and product development to manufacturing. Technical problems are seen by him as opportunities for invention, and his leadership inspires others to invent as well. He maintains an environment that encourages technical innovation. To do this consistently in a business world is a major accomplishment of engineering."