Tony Blevins is a VP at apple. His role with POET is pretty clear. He is working for Apple to help set priorities for the development of POET devices through his appointment in the POET technology roadmap advisory board.

A technology roadmap is a plan that matches short-term and long-term goals with specific technology solutions to help meet those goals.[1] It is a plan that applies to a new product or process, or to an emerging technology.[2] Developing a roadmap has three major uses.[3] It helps reach a consensus about a set of needs and the technologies required to satisfy those needs; it provides a mechanism to help forecast technology developments and it provides a framework to help plan and coordinate technology developments.

I think it is pretty clear that Tony’s job is to provide guidance to POET on behalf of Apple to ensure that the right priority to meet Apples needs is pursued.

I think we could probably name this road map the POET Apple device roadmap. I also believe there is representation by other companies that represent their particular needs they just have not put a name to it. But this one needs a name and it is clearly a message to industry and the market. I am pretty sure that Apple did not request the 50GHz VCSEL an optical company did that.

But the capability of POET towards mobile devices is most certainly the biggest market for POET and Apple is a company who seeks to innovate. Having the ability to help ensure that the disruptive capabilities of POET are priorities to meet Apples needs really provides the best intelligence for POET to know where to set priorities in their biggest market. For the most part I think much of what POET does from here on in will be at the request of customers. And the intention here could not be any clearer. Apple is looking at POET to supply new technology. POET is looking at Apple as a new customer.

So I don't think Tony is the new POET CEO his role is pretty clear and could not be served from the CEO chair. But I think the entry level for the POET CEO position has just been upgraded by the Apple association.