Engineering With Integrity: Philip Lewer ’87 Launches Soundview Consulting to Guide the Next Generation

Philip Lewer ’87 has always valued precision and preparation. While in high school, he gravitated toward mathematics and the sciences, but when he came to the State University of New York at Stony Brook to study electrical engineering, he found himself in a whole new world filled with surprises and spontaneity. It was here he fully immersed himself in campus life — and even made the most spontaneous decision of all, proposing to his wife and classmate, Karolina Lewer (Konc) ’87, during their senior year. “Something just came over me, and I knew she was the one,” he said.

Since his Stony Brook days, Lewer has had a successful career in engineering, working in different areas from chip design to marketing and business development. He’s traveled the world, including expat assignments in France and the United Kingdom. “All of these experiences I’ve had are the result of the strong fundamental engineering education I got at Stony Brook,” he said. 

Now Lewer is channeling his expertise into something new — starting his own company, Soundview Consulting. His goal is to work with early-stage, deep-tech startups and coach them on how to build their company and market their products. “I’ve had a very rewarding career and learned so much along the way,” Lewer said. “I feel it’s time for me to impart my knowledge on the next generation of engineers and guide them to success.”

The Full Experience

From a young age, Lewer had an interest in more STEM-oriented subjects. “I remember I had an electronics kit from Radio Shack where I used to build circuits,” he recalled. Taking his love of mathematics and circuit design, he started researching universities that offered electrical engineering. “I wanted a place that wasn’t focused solely on engineering but rather a university that had a balance of different majors and opportunities,” he said. Living in Westchester County, Lewer focused his search on the Northeast, and Stony Brook kept popping up. On a campus visit, Lewer spoke with students and with then-Dean Stewart Harris in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He left knowing he could see himself living on campus. “I also liked that Stony Brook was close enough to Westchester if I needed to go home, but far enough that it wasn’t necessarily convenient,” he said. “I wanted the full college experience.”

And that is exactly what he got. He lived on campus all four years — moving from Benedict South Hall to Ammann Hall and then into Hand Hall in the Tabler community in his junior and senior years. “I was quite studious, but I always found ways to have fun,” Lewer said. He played volleyball and soccer on intramural teams. He attended football and soccer games to cheer on his friends. And he attended concerts such as U2, Cyndi Lauper and The Clash on campus. In his senior year, he became president of the Stony Brook chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). “Being in IEEE taught me leadership skills that I’ve used throughout my career,” Lewer said. 

Lewer recalled his professors being readily available to answer questions — whether about coursework or career paths. He especially enjoyed Professor Ken Short’s microprocessor class, which sparked his passion for chip design, architectures and programmability. “I had some great conversations with Professor Short,” he said. “That class got me excited about the field, and my first job as an electrical engineer was in chip design.”

Making Bold Moves

While Lewer made some lifelong friendships at Stony Brook, one relationship that he forged obviously stands out as his favorite — meeting his future wife, Karolina, his sophomore year. “We lived in the same dorm and were in some of the same classes,” said Lewer. The pair could be found studying together often, and their friendship blossomed from there. During the second semester of their senior year, they were studying in the IEEE office in the Light Engineering building. “Something just came over me. I looked at her, and I just knew I wanted to marry her,” he said. “I didn’t even have a ring, but I proposed and she said yes.” 

Lewer later re-proposed with a ring. They had a long-distance engagement when Lewer moved to New England for work and graduate school at Northeastern University, where he earned his Master of Science in electrical engineering. Karolina stayed in New York to get her graduate degree in accounting at Pace University. The pair married in 1989 and moved to New Hampshire, where Lewer worked for a few engineering firms in Massachusetts and Karolina worked as an accountant. 

After a few years working on the technology side, Lewer made the switch to the business and marketing side of engineering. Several of his roles had him stationed overseas on expat assignments in Paris and Glasgow. “It was a bit of a whirlwind when Viewlogic offered me the opportunity to live and work in France,” Lewer said. “Karolina had just given birth to our daughter. But there we were, bundling her up and moving to Europe.” He and his family later settled in northern California, where Lewer joined Altera, a semiconductor company in Silicon Valley. Over the next 10 years, he worked at the crossroads of technology and business, focusing on positioning Altera’s products for targeted verticals in global markets.

Looking back, Lewer sees a pattern of bold but thoughtful leaps — whether proposing on a whim or moving his young family to France for a global assignment. Each experience, he said, deepened his appreciation for the balance between risk and integrity that defines technology leadership.

Guiding the Next Generation

Lewer doesn’t point to a single defining moment in his career; instead, he sees a clear thread of staying true to his values. “I’ve always tried to be consistent,” he said. “Say what I mean, mean what I say and deliver on what I promise.” That mindset helped him build a trusted global network and ultimately led to the launch of Soundview Consulting, which is focused on helping early-stage deep-tech startups align innovation with real-world value. Through strategic coaching and a servant leadership approach, Lewer offers hands-on support to help founders navigate product-market fit, scale thoughtfully and lead with confidence.

“At this stage in my career, it’s about giving back and helping the next generation of engineers and founders build with clarity and purpose,” Lewer said. “Technology is exciting, but it only matters if it solves real problems. I love guiding teams to find that sweet spot where innovation meets impact.”

He’s also an adviser with Silicon Catalyst, where he shares his expertise with emerging chip startups and helps founders navigate the intersection of technology and business.

As he reflects on his journey, Lewer offers thoughtful advice for engineering students: Stay curious, stay connected and stay intentional. He believes lifelong learning is essential, not just for technical growth but for personal evolution. “You don’t need a 20-year plan,” Lewer said. “But you do need a North Star — a sense of where you’re headed and why. Anchor your actions to that vision and be ready to adapt when opportunity knocks.” 

-Christine McGrath