For our IEEE/LEOS members, we have two important announcements. They concern our Executive Office at the IEEE headquarters in Piscataway, New Jersey. This is the office where our LEOS publications are prepared, and from where our members are served with the organization of conferences, meetings and chapter support throughout the world.
Edward Labuda, our current and very successful LEOS Executive Director, will be retiring, effective August 31, 1999.
We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Shumate to succeed Ed as Executive Director of LEOS, effective August 11, 1999. As many of you might know, Paul brings years of experience as an editor of LEOS journals. He established IEEE Photonics Technology Letters as one of our most successful publications. Paul’s experience will be invaluable in helping LEOS to master the coming transition to electronic publishing.
Ed Labuda joined IEEE/LEOS after a successful career at AT&T Bell Laboratories, that brought him from research on gas lasers and other subjects to being the Chief Operating Officer of the Lightwave Business Unit.
Ed joined LEOS as Executive Director, with the intent of serving five years, which, true to his nature, he did in an excellent way. He was a true leader in the technical affairs of our society. He established and fostered improved management practices and was a motivating and effective director of his staff. Ed’s flair for finances and his interest in keeping close track of budgets, income and expenditures greatly helped the financial well being of our society and the services to its members.
To us volunteers of IEEE/LEOS, Ed was always a helpful and well respected partner and personal colleague. Ed’s expertise, both in lasers, optoelectronics and optical communi- cation and in industrial management, was a great help in conducting our society’s affairs. The LEOS Presidents, when they attended the IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) meetings, where all the societies of IEEE are present, were especially indebted to Ed for his detailed studies of the issues at hand and his knowledge of the inner workings of the IEEE headquarters.
The LEOS Staff holds him in high esteem. They liked to work for him and are proud of him. Ed’s managerial style always encouraged everybody to work at his or her full potential. He made clear that he was available to help in any way, but expected his staff to take full responsibility. He encouraged his people to make necessary decisions and follow through on whatever actions needed to be taken. His staff appreciated his confidence in them and in their abilities and judgements, and in his letting them know when a job was well done.
Ed, the LEOS members, volunteers and staff, we owe you a lot, technically, organizationally and before all, also personally. We thank you and wish you and your family all the best, good health, a happy retirement, lots of golf and a good life.