# ZOFIA RYAN JOINS AMERICAN PINBALL **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2021-01-25 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2021/01/25/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball --- ## Analysis American Pinball announces the hiring of Zofia Ryan (formerly Zofia Bil), a legendary mechanical engineer with 30+ years in gaming and amusement industries, as their new Senior Mechanical Engineer. Ryan was the first female mechanical engineer at Williams Pinball and designed iconic mechanisms for classic titles including Doctor Who, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Popeye Saves the Earth, and others, earning six US patents. Her appointment addresses a gap identified by recently hired Senior Game Designer Dennis Nordman, who previously cited lack of mechanical design partnership as a reason for leaving Deeproot Pinball. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Zofia Ryan was the first female mechanical engineer hired at Williams Pinball — _Official American Pinball press release and Pinball News article introduction_ - [HIGH] Ryan earned six US patents for mechanical designs including the Time Expander (Doctor Who), Mist Multiball (Dracula), and criss-cross dual ball path ramp (The Machine: Bride of Pinbot) — _Article provides direct patent links and press release documentation_ - [HIGH] The Doctor Who mini-playfield/Time Expander was the most challenging mechanism Ryan designed during her Williams tenure due to its multi-level play feature — _Direct quote from Zofia Ryan in article_ - [MEDIUM] Dennis Nordman left Deeproot Pinball partly because there was no mechanical designer to develop his designs further — _Article states Nordman 'claims one reason he left the company was because there was no mechanical designer with whom he could further develop his designs'_ - [HIGH] Ryan's last pinball game at Williams was Junkyard before transferring to WMS Gaming (slot machine division) — _Article text and press release_ ### Notable Quotes > "When I first started at Williams I was nervous and apprehensive but the employees and managers made me feel at home and relaxed. During my tenure at Williams I progressed from drawing board to AutoCad to 3D and met and worked with many talented and wonderful people, many of whom are friends to this day." > — **Zofia Ryan** > _Reflects her experience as first female mechanical engineer at Williams and career evolution with evolving technology_ > "The Doctor Who mini-playfield was the most challenging pinball mechanism I have had to design because it had a multi-level play feature which was the most challenging part." > — **Zofia Ryan** > _Identifies her most technically challenging achievement; Time Expander became patented mechanism_ > "Python was a very talented and creative artist and game designer with whom I worked on a few games which he designed. The great memories that I had with him were going out to lunch at different Asian restaurants and enjoying exotic new dishes." > — **Zofia Ryan** > _Personal anecdote about working with legendary designer Python Anghelo, contrasts with 'outlandish stories' from others_ > "I was a supporting engineer on the Elvira game and worked with Dennis on the coffin mechanism (miscellaneous parts, brackets and links)." > — **Zofia Ryan** > _Establishes prior working relationship with Dennis Nordman, now both at American Pinball_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Zofia Ryan | person | Senior Mechanical Engineer at American Pinball; first female mechanical engineer at Williams Pinball; 30+ year career in gaming/amusement; earned six US patents for pinball mechanisms; maiden name Zofia Bil | | American Pinball | company | Boutique pinball manufacturer; recently hired Senior Game Designer Dennis Nordman; now appointing Zofia Ryan as Senior Mechanical Engineer | | Dennis Nordman | person | Senior Game Designer at American Pinball; recently joined from Deeproot Pinball; worked with Zofia Ryan on Scared Stiff (Elvira) coffin mechanism; previously designed multiple games for Deeproot | | Barry Oursler | person | Legendary pinball designer; worked with Zofia Ryan on Doctor Who, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Popeye Saves the Earth, and Dirty Harry; co-inventor on Time Expander and Mist Multiball patents | | Williams Pinball | company | Historic pinball manufacturer; Zofia Ryan was first female mechanical engineer hired; Ryan designed mechanisms for multiple classic titles before transferring to WMS Gaming | | Doctor Who | game | Williams Pinball title (1992); featured Time Expander multi-level playfield mechanism designed and patented by Zofia Ryan; identified as her most technically challenging design | | Bram Stoker's Dracula | game | Williams Pinball title (1993); featured Mist Multiball magnetic ball mover mechanism designed by Zofia Ryan and Barry Oursler; took 3-4 weeks to complete; patented | | Popeye Saves the Earth | game | Williams Pinball title (1994); Zofia Ryan designed most mechanisms including Animal Kicker multi-diverter and roulette wheel skill-shot mechanism; worked with Python Anghelo | | The Machine: Bride of Pinbot | game | Williams Pinball title (1991); Zofia Ryan designed criss-cross dual ball path ramp for upper playfield; patented design; worked with Python Anghelo | | Dirty Harry | game | Williams Pinball title (1995); designed by Barry Oursler with Zofia Ryan as mechanical engineer | | Junkyard | game | Williams Pinball title (1996); Zofia Ryan's last pinball game at Williams before transferring to WMS Gaming slot machine division | | Python Anghelo | person | Legendary pinball artist and game designer; collaborated with Zofia Ryan on Popeye Saves the Earth and The Machine: Bride of Pinbot; described by Ryan as talented and creative | | Deeproot Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer where Dennis Nordman recently worked; Nordman cited lack of mechanical designer partnership as reason for departure | | WMS Gaming | company | Williams slot machine division; Zofia Ryan transferred to this division after Junkyard, her final pinball game at Williams | | The Party Zone | game | Williams Pinball title; Zofia Ryan's first encounter with Dennis Nordman as a mechanical engineer | | Scared Stiff | game | Elvira-themed Williams Pinball game; Zofia Ryan served as supporting engineer on coffin mechanism with Dennis Nordman | | Pool Sharks | game | Williams Pinball title (1990); Zofia Ryan contributed mechanical design | | Who Dunnit | game | Williams Pinball title (1995); Zofia Ryan contributed mechanical design | | Ticket Tac Toe | game | Williams Pinball title (1996); Zofia Ryan contributed mechanical design | ### Topics - **Primary:** Personnel moves and hiring, Mechanical design and engineering innovation, American Pinball company development - **Secondary:** Williams Pinball legacy and classic game design, Gender diversity in pinball engineering, Patent history and innovative mechanisms, Designer-engineer collaboration dynamics ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Article celebrates Zofia Ryan's historic achievement and expertise. Tone is congratulatory toward American Pinball's strategic hiring and acknowledges the resolution of Dennis Nordman's prior concern about lacking mechanical design partnership. No criticism or controversy detected. ### Signals - **[business_signal]** American Pinball's 'recruiting drive' filling strategic gaps: Dennis Nordman (Senior Game Designer) paired with Zofia Ryan (Senior Mechanical Engineer) to enable designer-engineer collaboration that Nordman lacked at Deeproot Pinball (confidence: high) — Article explicitly states: 'Dennis recently designed several games for Deeproot Pinball but claims one reason he left the company was because there was no mechanical designer with whom he could further develop his designs and bring them to production. With Zofia's appointment, American Pinball appears to have wasted no time ensuring the same situation doesn't occur.' - **[community_signal]** Recognition of historic achievement: Zofia Ryan's status as first female mechanical engineer at Williams Pinball and her multiple patented innovations highlight gender milestone and technical legacy (confidence: high) — Article emphasizes historic hiring and dedicates significant coverage to her pioneering role and six US patents - **[personnel_signal]** Zofia Ryan (Zofia Bil), legendary first female mechanical engineer at Williams Pinball, joins American Pinball as Senior Mechanical Engineer (confidence: high) — Official American Pinball press release and Pinball News announcement with biographical details and patent documentation - **[personnel_signal]** Experienced talent from Williams Pinball and other manufacturers migrating to boutique manufacturers (American Pinball), indicating boutique companies gaining competitive footing (confidence: medium) — Zofia Ryan's hiring represents recruitment of legacy Williams talent; paired with Dennis Nordman's recent hire from Deeproot --- ## Transcript American Pinball’s recruiting drive continues with the appointment of Zofia Ryan as their new Senior Mechanical Engineer. [![American Pinball's new Senior Mechanical Engineer, Zofia Ryan](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball/01-zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball/01-zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball.jpg) American Pinball’s new Senior Mechanical Engineer, Zofia Ryan Zofia Ryan has a long history of mechanical design for the amusement and gaming industries but is perhaps better known in pinball circles by her maiden name, Zofia Bil. She was the first female mechanical engineer at Williams and became a regular part of Barry Oursler’s design team, working with him on titles such as *Doctor Who*, *Bram Stoker’s Dracula*, *Popeye Saves the Earth* and *Dirty Harry*. Pinball News asked Zofia about her time working at Williams Pinball and which of the many mechanisms she designed presented the greatest challenge. She told us, “*When I first started at Williams I was nervous and apprehensive but the employees and managers made me feel at home and relaxed. During my tenure at Williams I progressed from drawing board to AutoCad to 3D and met and worked with many talented and wonderful people, many of whom are friends to this day.”* “*The Doctor Who mini-playfield was the most challenging pinball mechanism I have had to design because it had a multi-level play feature which was the most challenging part.*“ [![The patent for the Time Expander from Doctor Who](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball/02-zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball-683x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball/02-zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball.jpg) The patent for the Time Expander from Doctor Who The [Time Expander](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,226,653.PN.&OS=PN/5,226,653&RS=PN/5,226,653) earned her and Barry a patent, as did the [Mist Multiball](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,351,954.PN.&OS=PN/5,351,954&RS=PN/5,351,954) magnetic ball mover in *Bram Stoker’s Dracula* which Zofia says took 3-4 weeks to complete. [![The patent of the Mist Multiball mechanism from Bram Stoker's Dracula](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball/03-zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball-731x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball/03-zofia-ryan-joins-american-pinball.jpg) The patent for the Mist Multiball mechanism from Bram Stoker’s Dracula Other patents include the [Animal Kicker multi-diverter](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,417,423.PN.&OS=PN/5,417,423&RS=PN/5,417,423) and the [roulette wheel skill-shot mechanism](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,356,141.PN.&OS=PN/5,356,141&RS=PN/5,356,141), both for *Popeye Saves The Earth*. Zofia designed most of the mechanisms on that game, working with Python Anghelo, just as she did on *The Machine: Bride of Pinbot* for which she earned another patent, this time for the [criss-cross dual ball path ramp](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,120,058.PN.&OS=PN/5,120,058&RS=PN/5,120,058) from the upper playfield. While many people have outlandish stories of their time working with Python, Zofia’s are much more restrained. She recalls, “*Python was a very talented and creative artist and game designer with whom I worked on a few games which he designed. The great memories that I had with him were going out to lunch at different Asian restaurants and enjoying exotic new dishes.*“ She also worked on the game *The Party Zone*, which was her first encounter with another recent American Pinball appointee, Senior Game Designer Dennis Nordman. Later, Zofia helped with Dennis’s *Scared Stiff* game. She told us, “*I was a supporting engineer on the Elvira game and worked with Dennis on the coffin mechanism (miscellaneous parts, brackets and links).*“ Dennis recently designed several games for Deeproot Pinball but claims one reason he left the company was because there was no mechanical designer with whom he could further develop his designs and bring them to production. With Zofia’s appointment, American Pinball appears to have wasted no time ensuring the same situation doesn’t occur in Dennis’s new position. Zofia’s last pinball game at Williams’ pinball division was *Junkyard*, after which she transferred to the slot machine division, WMS Gaming. Her pinball background has always remained with her though, in part thanks to her personal collection of the pinball machines on which she worked. Some of these can be seen in the background of her picture at the start of this report. Here’s the press release from American Pinball announcing Zofia’s appointment: | | | --- | | American Pinball is proud to announce our newest senior mechanical engineer Zofia Zofia Bil Ryan. Zofia has been a mechanical design engineer for more than 30 years and has achieved valuable experience in designing plastic parts, sheet metal parts, mechanical components and game mechanisms for the overall gaming industry. She was the first woman to be hired as mechanical engineer at Williams.  As a valued employee of Williams Bally Midway (WMS Gaming), Zofia created many mechanisms for various pinball games as well as for a casino game and she was awarded six US Patents for these designs. These patented parts include: · Two-way Kickout Mechanism for pinball (Popeye) · Roulette Scoring Device (Popeye) · Magnetic Ball Carrier for Pinball Games – Mist Multiball (Dracula) · Multilevel Play Feature for a Pinball Game (Dr Who) · Multiple Path Ball Ramp for Pinball – Rotating Head (The Machine) · Machine with Enhanced Re-Shielding Enclosure (for casino game) Zofia also designed the mechanical parts of many pinball games for WMS. She worked with several game designers in this effort which included: Barry Oursler, Bill Peutzenreuter, Tony Kraemer, Walter Smolucha and Steve Kordek. These games include: · Pool Sharks (released 1990) · The Machine-Bride of Pin Bot (released 1991) · Dr Who (released 1992) · Dracula (released 1993) · Popeye (released 1994) · Dirty Harry (released 1995) · Who Dunnit (released 1995) · Ticket Tac Toe (released 1996) · Junk Yard (released 1996) We are so proud to have her leading our mechanical engineering team. Zofia loves pinball and has her own pinball collection of all the games that she ever worked on. | The American Pinball press release _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: dde8cf19-1671-4c6e-8684-2ff5aa3fb8bb*