WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Michael Lebby was named executive director of the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA), the association announced today. Lebby, known internationally for his contributions to the optics and photonics industries, will help OIDA expand its position in the optoelectronics industry by honing its strategic direction, focusing on increasing its value to its membership; expanding its role in optoelectronics; and establishing new forums to better serve the global needs and interests of those in the field. Most recently, Lebby worked in a series of pivotal business development roles, including directing the corporate and technical strategy at Bookham Technology Plc. Before that, he oversaw the launch of Ignis Optics, which he cofounded, as CEO and president and as acting vice president of sales, marketing and business development. He secured two rounds of financing that raised more than $30 million dollars and built international class management and engineering design teams. Lebby also led Ignis Optics into an outsourced manufacturing strategy working with contract manufacturers in North America and Asia. Ignis was acquired by Bookham in 2003. Lebby also brings a venture capital and financial perspective to the optoelectronics industry through his experience as a corporate investor and venture capitalist at Intel and his role as a board advisor at a number of high-technology optoelectronics startups both in Europe and North ing vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology to advanced manufacturing at Motorola in the early 1990s. He also pioneered a number of gallium arsenide and indium phosphide optoelectronic devices and optoelectronic integrated circuits. Lebby recently received an honorary doctor of engineering degree from the University of Bradford, England, for his technical and business contributions to the optoelectronics field. He has given numerous keynote addresses internationally and has been an active member of both OIDA and the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). For more information, visit: www.oida.org