Biography:Valentin Gapontsev
Valentin Gapontsev | |
|---|---|
 Gapontsev in 2011 | |
| Born | Valentin P. Gapontsev Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 22 October 2021 (aged 82) |
| Citizenship | Russian and American |
| Education | Lviv Polytechnic National University Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology |
| Occupation | Laser physicist |
| Known for | Founder, CEO and chairman, IPG Photonics |
| Spouse(s) | Married |
| Children | 1 |
Valentin P. Gapontsev (23 February 1939 – 22 October 2021)[1] was a Russian-American laser physicist, billionaire, and the founder, CEO, and chairman of IPG Photonics. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated at US$2.3 billion.[2]
Early life
Valentin Gapontsev was born in Moscow, the son of an artillery captain.[3] The family moved to Lviv in 1946, and he spent the next 20 years there.[3] Graduating from the Lviv Polytechnic National University in 1961, he completed a doctoral program in the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.[4]
Career
After completing doctorate, he joined the Soviet Academy of Sciences Institute of Radio-engineering and Electronics in 1967, where he specialized in laser material physics, researching synthesis of active gain medium materials.[4][5]
In 1990, Gapontsev founded IPG Photonics at age 51. In a small laboratory near Moscow, he and his team invented a way to make fiber laser technology practical.[6] His first contract was a $750,000 sale to Italtel, fulfilled by establishing IPG Laser GmbH factory in Burbach, which was employing 500 workers in 2011.[4]
In mid-1990s, he expanded his business into the US by partnering with Dallas-based RELTEC Communications to produce 10,000 optical amplifiers for new BellSouth fiber network, which was being built to connect 5 millions of US households to Internet. IPG Photonics was incorporated in the US in 1998.[4] After moving his firm to the US, he raised $100 million investment from Merrill Lynch and Apax Partners.[7] IPG specializes in production of telecommunications and industrial high-power lasers. According to Forbes, Gapontsev's firm controlled 80% of the high-power fiber laser market in 2011.[4] Its revenue reached $1.4 billion in 2017.[7] Gapontsev and his family own 47.6% of IPG.[8]
In 2011, Gapontsev received the Russian Federation National Award in Science and Technology.[1]
In 2019, Gapontsev was erroneously sanctioned as a "Russian oligarch". The decision was later reversed by the US Treasury.[9]
In 2020, Forbes ranked him No. 359 on the Forbes 400 of the richest people in America.[10]
Personal life
He was married, with one child, and lived in Worcester, Massachusetts.[2]
Gapontsev died on 22 October 2021. The cause of death is unknown, but it is known that he had cancer.[11] The official corporate memorial encourages donations to local surgical oncology and liver and pancreas research funds.[12]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Valentin Gapontsev". http://en.kremlin.ru/supplement/960. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Forbes profile: Valentin Gapontsev". https://www.forbes.com/profile/valentin-gapontsev/. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Independent Thinker: Valentin Gapontsev of IPG Photonics". https://spie.org/membership/spie-professional-magazine/spie-professional-archives-and-special-content/july-2007/independent-thinker?SSO=1. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Kutuzov, Roman (25 April 2011). "Он ушел из науки в бизнес в 51 год. Сейчас у него $800 млн". https://www.forbes.ru/rating/ekonomika/lyudi/67109-russkaya-hvatka.
- ↑ Hagerty, James R. (2021-11-09). "Russian Scientist Brought Laser Technology to U.S.". Archived from the original on 2021-11-09. http://archive.today/2021.11.09-003650/https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-scientist-brought-laser-technology-to-u-s-11636120801.
- ↑ Hecht, Jeff (28 October 2021). "Valentin Gapontsev leaves behind impressive tech legacy". https://www.laserfocusworld.com/blogs/article/14213036/valentin-gapontsev-leaves-behind-impressive-tech-legacy.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Mufson, Steven (3 August 2018). "The tribulations of 'oligarch' No. 27". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-tribulations-of-oligarch-no-27/2018/08/02/8304c30c-8eb7-11e8-b769-e3fff17f0689_story.html.
- ↑ MAIN, Peter S. Cohan WALL &. "Valentin Gapontsev, Worcester's aging billionaire". http://www.telegram.com/article/20121202/COLUMN70/312029994. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ↑ Mufson, Steven (11 September 2019). "Treasury admits Russian-born physicist shouldn't be on oligarch list that it cribbed from Forbes". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/treasury-admits-russian-born-physicist-shouldnt-be-on-oligarch-list/2019/09/11/41e06db2-d4c1-11e9-9610-fb56c5522e1c_story.html.
- ↑ "Valentin Gapontsev & family" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/profile/valentin-gapontsev/.
- ↑ "Умер российский миллиардер Валентин Гапонцев" (in ru). 2021-10-23. https://www.azerbaycan24.com/ru/umer-rossiyskiy-milliarder-valentin-gapontsev/.
- ↑ "In Memoriam: Dr. Valentin Gapontsev" (in en-US). 2023-01-24. https://www.ipgphotonics.com/in-memoriam.html.
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