Digital inkjet solutions specialist Memjet has announced that its chief executive, Len Lauer, has sadly passed away.
Lauer died unexpectedly at his home in La Jolla, California, in the US on 12 April at the age of 62. He had led Memjet as its chief executive since 2010 and also took on the role of chairman in 2012.
During his time as chief executive, Lauer oversaw the company’s growth to its current position as one of the global leaders in the inkjet printing technology sector, serving customers in markets across the print world.
Prior to joining Memjet, Lauer also held a number of leadership roles with major technology innovators, developers and providers, including Qualcomm, Sprint, Bell Atlantic and IBM.
“On behalf of our board of directors and employees worldwide, we extend our deepest sympathies to Len’s family during this very difficult time,” Memjet group president, R&D and operations, Tony Duddy, said.
“An outstanding leader, visionary, and champion for high-quality, innovative digital printing technology for all markets, Len was a tireless advocate for Memjet Technology, our employees, and for delivering beautiful precision to the OEM partnership communities we serve as and their customers.
“Most importantly, Len was a devoted husband, father and friend. We all will miss his tremendous presence in our lives.”
Don Millican, a member of the Memjet board and also chief financial officer of the Kaiser-Francis Oil Company, added: “Len’s clear and steady leadership at Memjet continually inspired confidence with employees, customers, suppliers, and its board of directors. He will be missed, but he has positioned the company very well for a successful future.”
Lauer’s wife, Beth Lauer, also paid tribute to her late husband: “Our family has always been inspired by Len’s passion for Memjet and the work of the Memjet team. Len was proud of the strong culture at Memjet.”
Following the announcement, Memjet has appointed board member Sunil Gupta as its new chief executive with immediate effect. Gupta is a seasoned executive in the print industry, having held leadership roles at major businesses such as Fuji Xerox Australia, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific and Xerox International Partners and Xerox Corporation.
Memjet said that Gupta, who joined the company’s board of directors in January of 2019, would continue Lauer’s legacy of courage, collaboration and commitment to all stakeholders.
Everyone at FESPA would like to pass on their condolences to Len’s family at the Memjet team at this difficult time.