An early leader in photonics publishing, Theresa C. "Teddi" Laurin, founder and CEO of Laurin Publishing and a local philanthropist, died November 5 at her home in Pittsfield, MA.
An executive secretary who had resigned to raise her children, Laurin began working as an editor for Clifton Tuttle, a physicist with Eastman Kodak. Tuttle had started Optical Publishing Co. in 1954 and published a directory of optical companies. In 1964, Laurin and her late husband, Francis Laurin, bought the company and she launched the trade magazine, Optical Spectra, in 1967. Optical Spectra was renamed Photonics Spectra in 1982, and the firm was renamed Laurin Publishing in 1986.
Laurin Publishing publishes business-to-business magazines, directories, and websites under the brand Photonics Media. Laurin's son, Thomas, is the company president.
In 2000 Laurin was honored as one of 15 Western Massachusetts "Women of Influence." She served on the boards of The Optical Society (OSA), the Engineering Council of the OSA, and the American Business Press Publisher Committee. In Pittsfield, Laurin served as the original president of the Colonial Theatre Association, lending her support to the restoration of the historic theatre with time and money.
Laurin was married for 58 years to her husband, who died in 2009. She was also predeceased by a daughter. In addition to her brother and sister-in-law, Laurin leaves three children, eight grandchildren, a daughter-in-law, and two sons-in-law.
Source: The Berkshire Eagle
Conard Holton | Editor at Large
Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.