Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LITE) has announced the death of Board Chairman Martin A. Kaplan. The company has not announced succession plans. Kaplan also was chairman of Superconductor Technologies, a developer of superconducting wire. He was 81.
Kaplan’s relationship with Lumentum began in 1997, when he joined the board of company parent JDS Uniphase Corp. (JDSU). He became chairman of JDSU in 2000, a tenure that lasted until 2012. He remained on the JDSU board through the company’s split in 2015, when he assumed the chairmanship of Lumentum (see “Viavi Solutions, Lumentum begin life as JDSU is no more”). Kaplan’s career also included time at Pacific Telesis Group, where he rose to the position of executive vice president. He served on the boards of several other companies as well, including Tekelec Inc.
"Marty served our board with great passion and commitment and brought incredible business acumen to the company. He was a mentor and a wise advisor but also so much more, a friend and truly amazing human being who will be greatly missed," said Alan Lowe, president and CEO. "On behalf of Lumentum, we send the Kaplan family our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy."
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Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
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