Laser job shop Titanova honored with Missouri entrepreneur award

St. Charles, MO - Titanova, a direct-diode laser job shop providing a variety of laser material processing services, has received the Governor's Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2012 in recognition of new business leadership, job creation, and new technology adoption/application.

John Haake, founder and president of Titanova, received the award from Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) at the 2012 Governor's Conference on Economic Development in St. Louis (September 5-7).

Haake is a recognized expert on diode lasers, and a longtime ILS editorial contributor on the subject of laser surface treatment. He cofounded Nuvonyx in 1998, which was acquired in 2005 and then sold to Coherent in 2007. He then founded Titanova in 2008, which offers non-cutting laser material processing services using laser diodes: laser heat treating, laser cladding, laser welding, laser hardfacing, and laser brazing, as well as laser remanufacturing services. A year ago the firm received funding from the state to purchase additional laser equipment.

The Governor's Entrepreneur of the Year Award is presented to a principal with an entrepreneurial company who has demonstrated significant leadership in launching a new business, creating private sector employment opportunities through an innovative business concept, or developing a new technology or adopting/applying an innovative manufacturing process. To be considered for the award, the entrepreneur must be affiliated with a company headquartered in Missouri that has been in existence for less than 10 years and has fewer than 100 full-time employees.