Irvine, California, Nov. 7 -- Melles Griot has hired Joseph C. Horchak, formerly vice president of sales and marketing at Avimo Precision Polymer Optics, as its new director of sales. Mr. Horchak has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience, 15 of which included management positions. Horchak will be responsible for photonics sales in the US and for contributing to sales development outside the US.  :Horchak graduated from West Coast University and holds a Master of Science degree in marketing management and an MBA in finance and international management. Horchak has conducted sales and marketing workshops within the photonics industry and is a member of the CLEO steering committee.  :Melles Griot is a supplier of photonics products including optics, lasers, motion-control systems for the telecommunications industry, laser measurement instrumentation and optomechanical hardware. The company has manufacturing and distribution activity in 35 countries worldwide and is a member of Barlow Scientific Group Ltd.