MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 29 -- Steve Sheng has been promoted to president of Spectra-Physics, a Thermo-Electron Corp. company. Sheng will be responsible for formulating and implementing an aggressive growth strategy while maintaining the company's position in high-power solid-state and semiconductor lasers for OEM and scientific markets. Sheng began his career at Spectra-Physics as a senior laser physicist and engineer in 1979. He held a number of management positions and became senior vice president in 2000.