ROFIN-SINAR Technologies' Board of Directors currently consists of seven members, four of which are independent directors and three of which are, or were, Company affiliates.
Peter Wirth has been Chairman of the Board of Directors since September 1996. He was also the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company from September 1996 until May 2005. From October 1994 until September 2009, he has also served as General Manager of ROFIN-SINAR Laser GmbH, Germany. From 1991 until October 1994, Dr. Wirth was President of ROFIN-SINAR, Inc. He joined ROFIN-SINAR Laser GmbH in 1979 as Sales Manager for Industrial Lasers, and became Director, Sales and Marketing in 1983. He holds a Master's Degree and a Ph.D. in Physics from the Technical University in Munich, Germany.
Gunther Braun has been Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company since May 2005 and a member of the Company's Board of Directors since September 1996. He served as Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from September 1996 to May 2005. Since 1994, he has also been Managing Director of ROFIN-SINAR Laser GmbH, Germany. He joined the Company in 1989 in connection with ROFIN-SINAR Laser's acquisition of Coherent General Inc.'s Laser Optronics marking division. Mr. Braun holds a Business Administration Degree from the Fachhochschule in Regensburg, Germany.
Carl F. Baasel became a member of the Company's Board of Directors in October 2000, following the Company's acquisition of a majority stake in Carl Baasel Lasertechnik GmbH, Germany, a company that Mr. Baasel founded in 1975. Mr. Baasel served as that company's Managing Director until September 2001, when it was transformed into a limited partnership under the name "Carl Baasel Lasertechnik GmbH & Co. KG". From September 2001 until summer 2008, he served as Managing Director of this limited partnership, which is a fully-owned subsidiary of the Company. Since summer 2008 he serves as consultant of the management of Carl Baasel Lasertechnik GmbH & Co. KG. Mr. Baasel holds a Master's Degree in Physics from the Technical University of Munich, Germany.
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Ralph E. Reins has been a member of the Company's Board of Directors since September 1996. He was Chief Executive Officer of Qualitor, Inc. until July 1, 2002 and remained as Chairman of Qualitor, Inc. until it was sold in December 2004. Mr. Reins served as President and Chief Executive Officer of AP Parts International, Inc. from 1995 to 1998, as President and Chief Executive Officer of Envirotest Systems Corp. in 1995, as President of Allied Signal Automotive from 1991 through 1994 and as President of United Technologies Automotive from 1990 to 1991. Prior to that, he was Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mack Truck from 1989 to 1990 and President and Chief Executive Officer of ITT Automotive from 1985 to 1989. Mr. Reins was a Director at Weirton Steel until December 12, 2002. Mr. Reins received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial/Operations Engineering from the Univerrsity of Michigan.
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Gary K. Willis has been a member of the Company's Board of Directors since September 1996. Mr. Willis retired from Zygo Corporation in November 2000, where since November 1998, he had been Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Willis had also served as Director of Zygo Corporation since February 1992 and as its President and Chief Executive Officer from 1992 and 1993 through 1999, respectively. Prior to joining Zygo Corporation, he was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Foxboro Company. Mr. Willis also serves as a Director of Vion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plug Power Corporation, and Middlesex Health Services, Inc. Mr. Willis was a Director of Benthos Corporation until 2006. Mr. Willis has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
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Daniel J. Smoke has been a member of the Company's Board of Directors since August 2003. Mr. Smoke has been CFO for both public and privately held manufacturing companies during a career spanning over 35 years. Mr. Smoke began his career with Ford Motor Company, spending nearly 15 years in the automotive industry with Ford, White Motor Corporation and General Battery Corporation. From 1986 to 1994, Mr. Smoke was at Eagle Industries, Inc., where he held both financial and operating management positions including VP Finance and Division President. He was CFO of Bucyrus International, Inc. from 1996 to 1999. From 1999 to 2007, Dan Smoke operated a consulting business and was CFO for several private equity portfolio companies, including Truck Bodies and Equipment International, BR Lee Industries and Marco Wood Products. Mr. Smoke has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Washington State University and a Master of Science Degree in Accounting from California State University, and holds a CPA certificate.
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Stephen D. Fantone has been a member of the Company's Board of Directors since October 2005. Dr. Fantone is President and CEO of Optikos Corporation, an organization he founded in 1982. He is also a Senior Lecturer at M.I.T. Previously, Dr. Fantone served as a director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Benthos Inc., until its sale in January 2006. Steven D. Fantone received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and Management from M.I.T. and a Ph.D. in Optics from the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester.
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