Founder Armin Luft has stepped down as CEO of Laser 2000 GmbH after leading the Wessling, Germany-based company for more than 25 years. The entire management board also resigned. Luft was replaced by Dr. Rüdiger Hack effective March 1. Dr. Rüdiger Hack Luft founded Laser 2000 in 1986. The company is a supplier to the photonics market across Europe. He will remain involved with the company as an adviser and shareholder. Hack is now sole managing director and has become an additional shareholder in Laser 2000. Hack earned a degree in mechanical engineering with a main focus on laser technology at the University of Stuttgart. He obtained his doctorate in fiber-guided high-power solid-state lasers, then began his career at Trumpf GmbH & Co., where he was responsible for US sales. He spent many years working in Silicon Valley, during which time he served as marketing manager for JDS Uniphase Corp. and then worldwide sales director for Coherent Inc.