Laser Institute of America’s Executive Director Peter Baker Retires After Decades in the Industry

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Lindsay (Weaver) Burt

Retirement comes after more than 28 years of leadership at LIA

ORLANDO, FL (PRWEB) JUNE 12, 2017

Laser Institute of America (LIA) Executive Director Peter Baker officially retired from his position on May 1 after decades at the organization’s helm.

Executive Director Peter Baker’s retirement comes after more than 28 years of leadership at LIA.

Baker’s initial experience with LIA was as a speaker at its very first conference for materials processing in 1980. He was elected as LIA’s executive director at the 5th ICALEO® in 1988. Baker and his wife, Sunny, opened the Orlando office in April of 1989.

Noting that Baker served LIA for more than half of its existence, LIA’s 2017 President Paul Denney wrote in the March/April issue of LIA TODAY that within that time frame, Baker “has taken an organization that consisted of a handful of academics and engineers to an organization that is recognized as a world-leading society for laser safety and applied laser technology.”

Denney admits that finding “the next Peter Baker” will be no easy feat, and he is hard at work with the Selection Committee trying to secure the right leader for LIA’s vision. During the transition, Baker will be available to help guide the new executive director in the role, and LIA will continue to benefit from his mentorship.

At the end of 2016, Baker was the first recipient of LIA’s Leadership Award, which was designed to highlight an individual who exhibited outstanding leadership in an organization and who significantly benefited the laser industry. Going forward, the award will be named after him, signifying his profound worldwide impact and advancement in laser sciences and applications.

After more than 28 years with LIA, Baker says he is extremely grateful to have worked with various members, presenters, instructors, and staff. By the same token, his years of business, leadership, and management experience have not gone unnoticed by LIA.

“I can’t even begin to express the impact that Peter has had during his time with LIA—not only in the expertise and leadership he brought, but also regarding growth in my own career. I know he has impacted countless others here at LIA over the years as well,” said Jim Naugle, LIA’s Marketing Director. “I wish him the best and will definitely miss his presence and direction here at LIA.”

Baker’s unique experience and background allowed him to bridge the technical and business communities that make up the laser industry, guiding LIA to a position that supports laser safety and applications in manufacturing, R&D, medicine, and education. He leaves LIA as a viable organization that is primed and ready to grow with the changing economic climate.

About LIA

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. http://www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

Weekly Lasers Wrap Up – Week of December 5, 2016

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Steven Glover

The Laser Institute of America LasersToday.com Weekly Wrap-Up aggregates industry news, conference updates, and LIA happenings. Here is the latest:

Laser Industry News

This week, Lasers Today featured a guest blog discussing additive manufacturing using hot wire and powder processes. The post gives an in-depth overview of laser cladding, powder cladding, hot & cold wire cladding, including processes and tools used for each. Find it here.

After performing a few updates, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is back online. Over the last year, updates on LIGO’s lasers, electronics, and other assets have increased its sensitivity by 10 to 25 percent. Check out the interview with Peter Fritschel, the associate director of LIGO at MIT here.

Following the passage of the 21st Century Cures act, the National Photonics Initiative applauds House leaders for their decision. The bill provides $4.8 billion for advanced research on medicine initiatives. The involvement of optics and photonics in health care technology leads to less invasive, more cost-effective treatment for patients. Learn more about the bill here.

LIA Updates

Peter Baker is the first ever recipient of the LIA Leadership Award. This award focuses on “an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in an organization or a company and has significantly benefited the world laser community. The recipient may have also led to major global impacts in the advancement of laser science, technology, engineering, education or applications.” Baker has lead LIA for 28 years, playing an immeasurable part in LIA’s impact on the laser community. Read the full press release here.

Did you know that Student Membership with LIA is only $25? LIA members enjoy complimentary subscriptions to LIA publications, discounts on LIA courses, conferences, & seminars, networking opportunities, and more! Get the details here.

Conference News

Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM) will take place February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. LAM features presentations from researchers and industry leaders pertaining to the use of additive manufacturing. This year will feature a new session on micro/nano laser additive manufacturing research. Register today here.

Don’t miss a single laser industry update! Sign up today to receive the latest in lasers delivered straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow LIA on Facebook and Twitter for even more laser news.

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide. Find us at www.lia.org

Laser Institute of America Honors Peter Baker as First Recipient of Leadership Award

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Steven Glover

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ORLANDO, FL, DECEMBER 9, 2016 — The Laser Institute of America (LIA), whose mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide, announced the first recipient of the LIA Leadership Award; presented to none other than LIA’s Executive Director Peter Baker.

The award criteria focuses on an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in an organization or a company and has significantly benefited the world laser community. The recipient may have also led to major global impacts in the advancement of laser science, technology, engineering, education or applications. “It makes perfect sense that Peter should be the first recipient,” said LIA President Professor Lin Li. “He has left a footprint by providing a comprehensive package of experience, relationships and technical support that translates to long-term success.”

LIA’s 2016 President Lin Li (right) presents Executive Director Peter Baker with the first LIA Leadership Award

Baker was honored with the award in October during the 35^th annual International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO®), which is known as the world’s premier gathering of scientists, engineers and technicians engaged in laser applications. The conference is steered by an international select committee of industry leaders and has grown under Bakers leadership at LIA.

“Deservedly so, Peter takes the stage again being recognized for 28 years of outstanding leadership in developing the Laser Institute of America, whose worldwide impacts continue to promote the advancement in laser sciences, technologies, applications and safe use of lasers,” Li added. “Moving forward, this award will be named after him, as the Peter Baker Leadership Award.”

Peter Baker has led LIA for the past 28 years. The organization provides global support for laser applications and safety. “Peter is known for being an exceptional guy, with a big heart for people — someone who has a great understanding of the laser business.” said LIA’s Marketing Director Jim Naugle, a longtime friend of Baker’s. His colleagues say they are very appreciative of what he has done to carry out LIA’s mission worldwide.

“I am pleased and honored to receive this award and to have it named after me in the future,” says Baker. “It means a lot to be appreciated by people I respect and admire. My thanks to President, Lin Li and all those involved.”

Baker was born in London, England. He earned an undergraduate degree in physics with special honors from London University. He worked in aerospace in the UK which provided him the opportunity to build and fly moon trackers, sun trackers and star trackers. “I was always surprised and pleased when something I designed flew successfully,” he says.

Peter’s career included extensive experience in business. After moving to the US in his 20′s, working at several companies and gaining management experience, Baker’s research garnered an invitation to LIA’s very first International Laser Materials Processing Conference to present a paper. Soon after, Baker was elected as LIA’s Treasurer and then became LIA President in 1987. Baker relocated LIA to Orlando, FL in 1989 and rest is history.

About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. www.lia.org, 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553.

ICALEO 2015 – Opening Plenary Recap

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Steven Glover

LIA Executive Director Peter Baker started us off by welcoming everyone including first time attendees. Peter also reminded everyone to join us next year in San Diego.

Following Peter Baker was current LIA President Robert Thomas who thanked everyone for their support during his presidency. He also recognized the ICALEO Sponsors, Vendors, and Attendees. Mr. Thomas also discussed peer reviewed papers and the added value they bring to the ICALEO event. <Watch the video here>

Silke Pflueger had a few opening words and introduced the conference chairs. An important point that Dr. Pflueger made was the lack of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. She challenged us all as individuals, as companies, and as a society to encourage young women to pursue interests in these fields.

Dr. Ellen Townes-Anderson highlighted the Plenary and set the laser tone of the conference with her presentation “Welding” Nerve Cells Together with Laser Tweezers. Dr. Anderson is one of four daughters of laser pioneer Charles Townes and niece of LIA’s founding father Arthur L Schawlow. Ellen provided a personal perspective of her father as she shared how he wrote her a note regarding the use of lasers in biomed applications as early as 1962 and how he worked up until two months of his death this year.

After our morning break Adela Ben-Yakar made a presentation on Clinical Femtosecond Laser Microsurgery guided with Multiphoton Microscopy. Her presentation was very interesting and it is amazing how a once debilitating surgery can be performed with less long term negative effects. One example she cited was surgery performed on the larynx to remove cancer that traditionally would have required the larynx to be removed.

Our final presenter of the day, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, discussed translating light based technologies to patient care. Lasers can be used in medical care for much earlier detection of health related problems. Earlier detection not only helps save lives, but can make recovery time much shorter. Anita also discussed ways to apply technology in clinical applications.

Heading into the lunch break one thing is certain, the speakers have started ICALEO off in the right direction with one minor caveat; If all the technical sessions are as interesting, informative, and captivating… it is going be difficult to choose between them.

Peter Baker: 25 Years Keeping LIA at the Forefront of Laser Safety & Applications

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Steven Glover

By Geoff Giordano

When a roomful of past presidents, board members and faithful staffers gathered at Miami’s Hyatt^® Regency recently to honor Peter Baker’s 25^th year as executive director of the Laser Institute of America, the genuine respect and admiration for his visionary and resolute leadership was palpable.

The reception, held during the 32^nd annual International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO^®) in October, was characterized by the typically harmonious blend of brilliant minds and personalities Baker has orchestrated since he was elected to lead LIA at the fifth ICALEO in 1988. Continue reading →

Laser Chirp

Constant steady delivery of laser industry news and events!

Tag Archives: Peter Baker