Composite Materials Research & Development
CMR-D supports engineering, quality, and specialized manufacturing work for projects that need practical judgment and careful execution backed by AS9100-certified quality systems.
Protecting the irreplaceable with a ruthless pursuit of excellence
CMR-D envisions a world better protected, where our innovative products and solutions instill confidence in every situation and enable success. Our goal is to be a company grounded in continuous improvement and customer service—embracing challenges with tenacity and diligence. We aim to achieve this with every manufactured part, engineering service, or designed solution.
History
Founded in 2004, Composite Materials Research & Development (CMR-D) emerged from deep expertise in composite materials. Our roots reach back decades, to a founder who has worked in commercial and military aerospace since 1981.
From the outset, CMR-D was established to develop new technologies, conduct research and development, and serve as an engineering resource for a broad group of companies. In 2007 the firm played a pivotal role in an SBIR program aimed at creating a hearing-protection helmet, contributing to its design, testing, and refinement. When that program stalled, CMR-D independently continued development and turned to hearing loss in industry, supplying a commercial version of the helmet to oil and gas operators and to search and rescue crews. That commercial traction kept the technology alive and ultimately helped revive the SBIR program, culminating in a full-rate production contract under which CMR-D, as a subcontractor to the program's prime, manufactures the helmet in support of the U.S. Navy.
That milestone transformed the organization from a pure engineering firm into a dual engineering-and-manufacturing enterprise. Along the way CMR-D has designed and built demanding one-off hardware: a mobile spray facility developed for forward-deployed use, test fixtures that simulate flight conditions for rotorcraft survivability programs, and large-scale ballistic and blast test fixtures, including one of the largest static test fixtures in the United States.
Today the company remains at its original Salem location, grown in size and in people. Our engineers work across composite manufacturing, machining, assembly, engineering services, and test design. CMR-D is a member of the Oregon Applied Science Technologies (OAST) family of companies, which seeks to bring new technologies and innovations to an emerging world.
Manufacturing at CMR-D
A team that stays close to the work.
CMR-D is led by people who care about communication, judgment, and follow-through. When you reach out, you talk to someone who can actually walk the floor with you.
Tom Ohnstad
Mr. Tom Ohnstad is the Owner/Founder of Composite Materials Research & Development (CMR-D), formed in 2004. Mr. Ohnstad has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wyoming. He has over 45 years of experience in materials science/engineering, composites manufacturing, structural design, research and development, destructive and nondestructive testing, and blast/ballistics/fire protection/forced entry testing.
Geoffery Miotke
Geoffery Miotke is the Chief Operations and Personnel Officer for CMR-D. He is a retired Command Sergeant Major from the U.S. Army, after 31 years. Geoff possesses a comprehensive background in program management, strategic planning, policy implementation, and occupational safety. He has managed risk upon multiple lines of efforts to protect assets, property, and equipment, and is the recipient of multiple awards for outstanding performance and professionalism.
John Mayer
John Mayer, a retired Lieutenant Colonel for the U.S. Army, has over 33 years of cumulative leadership and management experience in both military and corporate organizations. As the Chief Quality Officer, he emphasizes planning, compliance, and continuous improvement to meet the strategic goals of CMR-D.
Eric Martin
Eric Martin holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University and brings a deep expertise in design & development, fixture design, robotics, as well as structural and blast engineering. As Chief of Engineering, Eric has managed hundreds of projects and been with the company since 2023, overseeing the execution of all design, development, and prototyping of projects through turnkey solutions.
Darren Buckley
After graduating from Oregon State University with a degree in Industrial Engineering, Darren brought years of manufacturing engineering experience to the team. Joining CMR-D in 2023 as an engineer, Darren advanced through quality and sales roles before being promoted to General Manager in 2026. A Lean Six Sigma professional with safety certifications, he has managed CAPEX budgets and championed the company's AS9100 implementation while driving process improvements across operations.
Tyler Tornfelt
Tyler Tornfelt joined CMR-D in 2015 and helped bring the Hearing Protection Helmet to initial market. Since then, he manages the expanding manufacturing department and leads cross-functional teams through the entire product cycle while maintaining stringent AS9100 requirements. Tyler translates customer requirements into operational plans ensuring on-time delivery, cost control, and strict compliance with government and regulatory standards.
Spencer Von Flue
Spencer joined CMR-D upon graduating from Oregon State University with dual majors in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. He leads research and development efforts for CMR-D, guiding the HGU-99 through ANSI Z89.1-2014 Type II Class G certification and pioneering integrated technologies. Spencer also supports manufacturing by driving continuous improvement, developing specialized tooling, and maintaining AS9100D-compliant quality documentation.
Looking for a technical partner who can work through the details?
We'll help clarify requirements, support quality expectations, and move your project toward a practical next step.