Larry Lukis, Proto Labs' Founder and Board Chairman, Set to Retire from Rapid Manufacturing Company after 18 Years
March 03 2017 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Custom prototyping and low-volume production company Proto Labs,
Inc. (NYSE: PRLB) announced today that its founder and chairman of
the board of directors, Larry Lukis, has chosen to retire and will
not stand for re-election at the company’s annual meeting in
May.
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Proto Labs Founder and Board Chairman
Larry Lukis will retire from the company after 18 years (Photo:
Proto Labs).
Lukis launched the ProtoMold Company in 1999 to reduce the
amount of time it took product developers to get plastic
injection-molded parts. He wrote front-end software programming
that automated design analysis on 3D CAD models, which could then
be sent digitally to interconnected manufacturing equipment for
quick-turn part production.
As a result of his pioneering software and automation
advancements, ProtoMold grew from a small startup in Long Lake,
Minnesota to become a global innovator in digital manufacturing
with production facilities in the United States, Europe and Japan.
In 2012, Proto Labs went public on the New York Stock Exchange and
by the end of 2016, the company reported nearly $300 million in
annual revenue.
“While the company has grown significantly over the past decade,
Proto Labs has never lost that tenacious startup mentality that it
was founded on,” said Lukis. “With the current executive
leadership, I know Proto Labs will be in good hands for many years
to come as it continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible
in manufacturing.”
Even in Lukis’ retirement from Proto Labs, his entrepreneurial
spirit remains. He launched Digi Labs in 2014 to invest in and
accelerate startup companies with products ranging from compact
marine tech to virtual reality devices. His venture comes as no
surprise since he created the Proto Labs Cool Idea! Award in 2011,
which supports innovative startups by providing in-kind
manufacturing services.
“Larry’s brilliant computing mind and leadership presence in the
boardroom have been invaluable,” said Vicki Holt, President and CEO
of Proto Labs. “He is the reason Proto Labs is the company it is
today, and we’ll certainly still look to him at times for advice in
the future.”
Longtime board member, Sven Wehrwein, will serve as Lukis'
successor as chairman of the board of directors. Wehrwein, who has
served as the board’s lead independent director since 2011, has
more than 35 years of experience as an investment banker, chief
financial officer and certified public accountant.
About Proto LabsProto Labs is the world's fastest digital
manufacturing source for custom prototypes and low-volume
production parts. The technology-enabled company uses advanced 3D
printing, CNC machining and injection molding technologies to
produce parts within days. The result is an unprecedented
speed-to-market value for designers and engineers and an on-demand
resource throughout a product’s life cycle. Visit protolabs.com for
more information.
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Proto Labs, Inc.Bill Dietrick,
763-479-7664bill.dietrick@protolabs.comorMedia
Contact:PadillaCRT for Proto LabsTim Nelson,
612-455-1789tim.nelson@padillacrt.com
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