PPGI CEO to Resign, Subsidiary GM Named

Photonic Products Group Inc. (PPGI) announced that its president and CEO, Daniel Lehrfeld, will not renew his contract and will leave the company, effective Dec. 16. PPGI board chairman Dr. John Rich will head a search committee to name Lehrfeld's successor, who will become only the third CEO in the company's 35-year history. PPGI also announced that Joseph J. Rutherford has joined its MRC Optics subsidiary in Sarasota, Fla., as vice president and general manager. Frank Montone, MRC Optics founder and president, will become vice president of engineering and technology. Rutherford has more than 30 years of executive experience in optical component development and manufacturing in the defense and commercial sectors. From 1989 until he retired in 2006, Rutherford was vice president and general manager of Synoptics, a Charlotte, N.C.-based subsidiary of Litton and Northrop Grumman that makes laser crystal products and related optical components. He also previously held sales and marketing positions with Memtech Corp., Material Progress Corp. and Allied Corp. Northvale, N.J.-based PPGI operates three businesses: Inrad, which specializes in crystal-based optical components and devices, laser system accessories and instruments; Laser Optics, a maker of custom optical components, assemblies and optical coatings; and MRC Optics, a provider of diamond-turned, metal, and aspheric optics and optomechanical and electro-optical assemblies.