About
Eldon Zacek graduated from high school in eastern Iowa, where he met his future wife at the start of his junior year. He left his boyhood home to attend Iowa State University, where he majored in Electrical and Computer Engineering, with an emphasis in Computer Science. While in college, Eldon worked as a consultant in the ISU Computer Graphics Lab, as well as doing individual software consulting for professors and for a local businessman. On the weekends, Eldon discovered SCCA driving events in the parking lot of the Iowa State football stadium.
Eldon worked as an intern at Tektronix while still in undergrad. After completing his degrees (BSEE, BSCprE), Eldon joined Honeywell on a full-time basis. Seeking more opportunities to lead research and development in emerging technologies, Eldon moved on to smaller companies in Minnesota and Idaho. While in Idaho, Eldon decided to launch his own company, and in 1994, Czech-Mate Enterprises was born.
Eldon and Sue have two adult children and are full-time caretakers of two spoiled canines.
Sue Zacek moved to eastern Iowa at the start of her junior year in high school, and met her future husband at a school mixer. Sue attended Iowa State University as part of the third generation of a family of Cyclones. She majored in Management Information Systems, which was (then) a new degree program combining business and computer technology. Sue worked her way through college as the office manager for an entrepreneur owner of multiple franchises of Casey’s General Stores.
After graduation (BA MIS), Sue went to work as a systems analyst for Procter & Gamble. Marriage and a new address led to a new job as a project manager with Pillsbury. When Eldon and Sue moved to Idaho, Sue continued to work for Pillsbury on a consulting basis before beginning her second career in college and workforce education. All of that experience has become a foundation in Sue’s partnership with Eldon in Czech-Mate Enterprises.
Eldon and Sue have been married for more than 30 years.
Eldon Zacek graduated from high school in eastern Iowa, where he met his future wife at the start of his junior year. He left his boyhood home to attend Iowa State University, where he majored in Electrical and Computer Engineering, with an emphasis in Computer Science. While in college, Eldon worked as a consultant in the ISU Computer Graphics Lab, as well as doing individual software consulting for professors and for a local businessman. On the weekends, Eldon discovered SCCA driving events in the parking lot of the Iowa State football stadium.
Eldon worked as an intern at Tektronix while still in undergrad. After completing his degrees (BSEE, BSCprE), Eldon joined Honeywell on a full-time basis. Seeking more opportunities to lead research and development in emerging technologies, Eldon moved on to smaller companies in Minnesota and Idaho. While in Idaho, Eldon decided to launch his own company, and in 1994, Czech-Mate Enterprises was born.
Eldon and Sue have two adult children, and are full-time care-takers of two spoiled canines.
Sue Zacek moved to eastern Iowa at the start of her junior year in high school, and met her future husband at a school mixer. Sue attended Iowa State University as part of the third generation of a family of Cyclones. She majored in Management Information Systems, which was (then) a new degree program combining business and computer technology. Sue worked her way through college as the office manager for an entrepreneur owner of multiple franchises of Casey’s General Stores.
After graduation (BA MIS), Sue went to work as a systems analyst for Procter & Gamble. Marriage and a new address led to a new job as a project manager with Pillsbury. When Eldon and Sue moved to Idaho, Sue continued to work for Pillsbury on a consulting basis before beginning her second career in college and workforce education. All of that experience has become a foundation in Sue’s partnership with Eldon in Czech-Mate Enterprises. Eldon and Sue have been married for more than 30 years.
Czech-Mate Enterprises, LLC is a family-owned and operated business, that sprang from our passion for amateur motorsports.
While in college, Eldon and Sue got involved in precision driving via the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) in central Iowa. We quickly recognized how much fun could be had behind the wheel of any car, on a performance course. This addiction was fueled by a constant need to improve our personal best, each time we were on track.
Fast-forward past college, and we find Eldon frustrated that a “simple” device he dreamt for his own track use just didn’t exist … so he designed one and took it to market. Tach-Mate™ was born! For the car aficionado, our track car at that time was a 1980 Triumph TR8.
Tach-Mate™ was a 4-channel data acquisition system and a perfect entry-point for most consumers. But the techies wanted more … and Eldon designed Winning Edge™ … a 16-channel data acquisition system to add to any type of competition motorsports vehicle.
On the heels of Winning Edge™ was a new system known as Trac-Mate™. Trac-Mate™ was a traction control (or launch control, in drag racing) device intended to optimize traction and torque: literally, where the rubber met the road! This beneficial device was viewed with skepticism by most sanctioning bodies, but held in very high regard by drivers and crew chiefs! The greatest value of Trac-Mate™ was in practice, or test-and-tune sessions – NOT typically limited by tech restrictions. Our customer feedback was entirely positive and appreciative.
After our college start in Iowa, we moved to Minnesota, Idaho, and then to Missouri. The track car exploded into a 700-hp open-wheel modified! Both Trac-Mate™ and Winning Edge™ were used in practice but totally prohibited in competition. This just proved the value of the data to practice and tune the car – and the driver.
Fun Fact: The earliest data-acquisition systems for amateur motorsports were known as “tell-tale systems”. The driver could no longer say they were driving “flat-footed” when the data told a very different story. We found that crew chiefs and owners LOVED our systems … while the drivers were less pleased.
In between college and Czech-Mate Enterprises, Eldon discovered the excitement and intrigue of leading-edge technology, beginning with gyroscopes and lasers. His first work in C&I technology centered on ring-laser gyroscopes, in navigation systems. Before long, he moved into 3-D laser digitization: Eldon designed the hardware and software to utilize laser beams to measure objects to create digital renditions for further design. Huge advances were made in customization of golf clubs, using this bleeding-edge technology prior to 1990.
Beginning in 1997, Czech-Mate branched out to move beyond the track taking C&I technology to various manufacturing operations.
Water Jet cutters and Laser Cutters were designed and used to cut fabric precisely, and without any jagged or raveled edges. Think about the multi-color, multi-layer logo on the uniform or jersey of your favorite professional sports team. That logo was very likely produced with a water jet or laser cutter.
These and similar Motion Control systems (including laser scanning) were used in data acquisition systems for motorsports (cars, trucks, tractors, boats, sleds/snowmobiles) and dynamometers.
When we established Czech-Mate Enterprises in 1994, our goal was to move to Charlotte and break into the NASCAR market. We soon realized that NASCAR was a limited market (only 43 teams) and dropped that specific target, but we finally made the move to Charlotte in 2006, and are now in the heart of motorsports. Surprisingly, our business took a new direction in Charlotte. Not because we became disenchanted with motorsports, but because the overall economy tanked. Our base of amateur motorsports enthusiasts was pinched, and we needed to expand in new directions.
Listening to the market feedback, we realized that there were a lot of individual business challenges and ideas which could readily benefit from our C&I expertise. Shortly after that revelation, our consulting practice was launched.
We now design and build complete systems to meet the current and long-term needs of each client-partner. Along with devices to capture data, or to control specific activity, we add human interfaces to make it useable. Our custom software ties it all together, and we deliver it on devices that best suit each need. These might range from the typical desktop or laptop computer to tablets or PDAs and even hand-held scanners.
Mission
Czech-Mate Enterprises, L.L.C. is a small corporation of performance and technology enthusiasts who are dedicated to making C&I technology and devices work for you. We play with sports cars for fun and challenge ourselves (and our in-car technology) to learn more and drive better, harder, each time. We are located in North Carolina, near the heart of motorsports.
Please contact us via e-mail ([email protected]), or phone (704-784-6547 or 800-819-7223).
Our Core Values
Do the right thing … for the customer, for the company
- There are no rules in work or in life … just some guidelines called principles. Our objective should always be to do what is right.
- We are honest and transparent with our clients and with each other. We’re willing to speak up, even when we have bad news. We assume and extend trust by default. We communicate with empathy, support and candor.
We follow our rules
- Policies and principles – such as file-naming conventions, or back-up routines – are in place to protect the intellectual property and other work of this company. They exist so that everyone knows and can work with consistency
- Ownership – respect the leader of each effort. Collaboration is great, but be overt and transparent in your contributions. This is not for judgment – this is for accountability, of the task/effort leader
Making a mistake is NOT a problem. Not learning from your mistakes IS a problem.
- We have a desire to be better. We’re willing to admit we might not have the answer. We are introspective and seek help when needed. We are always open to others’ feedback. We support each other in continuously learning. We believe there’s a Better Way, and we never stop seeking it.
Drive for Excellence
- We have drive, motivation and enthusiasm to achieve excellence. We have a strong work ethic and commit ourselves daily to deliver on the promises we make. Doing just enough to check the box is never acceptable – we want to do more. We hold each other accountable for our commitments. We never give up.
- We drive for excellence, but don’t get so lost in the work that we forget to relax and have fun … celebrate our successes.
Collaboration
- We all need to be able to work independently and to represent our company in the best possible perspective, at all times. But we only improve by sharing experiences, asking questions, and supporting each other through new or difficult challenges. The power of knowledge and information comes from sharing.