About Prototype

Stephanie Blandford
President

Creating a functional and marketable prototype takes time, money, and expertise. With Stephanie Blandford at the helm of Prototype & Development Specialists, your company is in great hands.Stephanie worked for over 10 years in accounting with top business consulting firm Ernst & Young, where she honed her business talents and built up substantial management experience that allows her to lead such a progressive company as Prototype & Development Specialists.

She also spent 5 years as Manager of Corporate Services for the Texas Research and Technology Foundation, a nonprofit economic development agency for the technology and biotechnology fields in San Antonio. In this role, Stephanie served as a controller for the foundation and also assisted the entities that were incubated within the research park with their start-up processes, accounting and human resources functions.

After leaving the foundation, she worked for several start-up companies, helping to guide them through their growth phase. This role is one that Stephanie finds most fulfilling and is what drives her as she guides PDS in its mission to help turn clients’ dreams into reality.

Stephanie holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Kennedy-Western University in Cheyenne, WY and maintains an AIBA (Accredited in Business Appraisal) designation through the Institute of Business Appraisers since 2004.

Joseph “Joe” Blandford has worked in and supervised machine shops since 1979. The machine shop business is his world. He is considered a master of prototype development by our many return clients.Backed by his extensive, wide-ranging industry experience, Joe is a hands-on COO. Anyone who has ever worked with him agrees that he is a rare breed of leader who expertly oversees the complex process of prototype development.Technical Proficiency
Joe works with both CNC (Computer Numerical Control) and manual machine tools to produce prototypes, production tools, fixtures and devices.He is proficient in Mastercam programming software and SOLIDWORKS to produce 3D models and drawings. Over the course of his extensive career, he has:

• Managed machine shop operations
• Been instrumental in quality design by developing and creating specifications
• Engineered quality in the development of processes
• Written manufacturing and work instructions
• Conducted process validations within a quality management system

Medical Industry Expertise

Joe gained part of his experience working for biotech companies, including OsteoBiologics and EO2 Concepts. With his reputation for strict protocol and high quality work, scientists and engineering teams began approaching Joe for help in developing innovative 510(K)-approved medical devices to bring to the market. While working on these projects, Joe:

• Helped finalize the design before testing and conducting validations to receive FDAclearance
• Sourced purchase and manufactured parts for the devices
• Designed part models and made approved drawings to document device components
• Set up a quality plan to manufacture parts and components through device assembly, packaging, and sterilization
• Worked with quality control doing inspections and calibrations
• Conducted quality control and assisted in maintaining a quality management system to retain FDA and ISO certifications
• Built an ISO-certified Class 7 3400 SF Terra Universal hard-walled clean room and helped design all mechanical systems to validate the clean room and equipment through production.

Oil and Gas Industry Expertise

Joe worked many years for National Oilwell supervising the night shift plant. He is well acquainted with most oilfield equipment manufacturing.