Imagine fleeing Poland on Christmas Eve to evade the Germans. Then crawling your way through Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy and southern France. Once there, you join the French Army, only to be captured and become a prisoner of war for three months.

At that point, you escape prison, flee to Switzerland, then on to England, where you join the English Army and become a Royal Air Force navigator flying 32 bomber missions.

At the end of the war, you move to the United States, where you meet your future business partner and secure a $40,000,000 contract with the U.S. Military.

This sounds like Hollywood—but to Jan Waszkiewicz, it was the ultimate American Dream.

And he’s still living it.

Randolph Engineering was founded in 1972 by Polish immigrants, Jan Waszkiewicz and Stanley Zaleski. Now, 40 years after it’s inception, Randolph is still owned and operated by three generations of Waszkiewicz and Zaleski families, along with a highly skilled and dedicated American workforce.

So how does a family-owned and operated company trump $8,000,000 in annual sales and distribute product to over 40 countries?  

Jim Waszkiewicz, Jan’s son, says, “My dad says it takes years to build your reputation and months to take it down. And what he means is quality. Always maintain the quality that got you to where you are.”

Waszkiewicz and Zaleski started by designing optical machinery. Eventually, they turned their attention to making original eyewear, using their own tools and machinery.

In 1977, Randolph Engineering obtained its first government contract. By 1982, they had become the prime contractor for military-style aviation flight glasses for the U.S. Department of Defense. With 68 employees, 200,000 pairs of sunglasses were made for the Navy, Air Force, and Army that year.

Since then, Randolph has expanded to offer specialty lines of sunglasses for consumers, police, security personnel, outdoor sports enthusiasts and other sight critical occupations and outdoor enthusiasts, including the Australian, Belgian, Israeli and Jordanian Air Forces.

Today, Randolph remains an American-made brand, renowned for genuine, well-made products with a strong heritage. Try on a pair (or two) this fall at all four American Field events.