William C. Schwartz (1927-2000) was a civic leader in Central Florida and a pioneer in the laser industry. He was founder, President and Chairman of International Laser Systems, Inc., and later, Schwartz Electro-Optics, Inc., both based in Orlando, Florida.Schwartz was born in Lexington, Missouri. He attended Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, then went on to earn a BS in Mathematics at The University of Chicago and an MA in Mathematics from the University of Missouri. He also was awarded an honorary doctorate in Engineering Science by the University of Central Florida.