Optikos President to Receive OSA Service Award

Stephen D. Fantone, PhD, founder and president of Optikos Corp., has been named 2007 recipient of the Optical Society of America’s (OSA) Distinguished Service Award, in recognition of his outstanding service to the society. This is the 13th time the award has been presented since its inception in 1973. A member of OSA since 1973, Fantone has held numerous leadership positions and has served as its treasurer since 1996. "Demonstrating extraordinary dedication for three decades, Steve has provided both the strategic path and the leadership to help grow OSA's financial resources to the solid base it now holds," said Elizabeth Rogan, OSA executive director. Fantone founded Optikos, a manufacturer of optical metrology systems, in 1982 and has been awarded more than 60 US patents. He is a director of Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc., the Pioneer Institute and the Sea Education Association and is a senior lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Fantone will receive the award at a presentation ceremony during the plenary session of OSA's annual meeting, Frontiers in Optics, on Sept. 17 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, Calif.