API Technologies Appoints Bel Lazar as President and Chief Operating Office
API Technologies Corp., a provider of engineered systems, sub-systems and secure communications to the global defense and aerospace industries, announced the appointment of Bel Lazar as president and chief operating officer. Lazar will be responsible for the company's global operations.
Lazar brings more than 25 years of experience in the defense, semiconductor and technology fields, having served most recently as senior vice president of operations at Microsemi Corporation and as a member of its executive team. At Microsemi, Lazar was responsible for several divisions serving the aerospace and defense markets with diverse product offerings, including space level DC-DC converters, power supplies and other power management solutions; and RF and microelectronics components, subsystems and systems. In addition, Lazar was responsible for global information technology and for the acquisition and integration of several private and public companies, significantly improving their operating margins and overall profitability.
Prior to Microsemi, Lazar spent more than 22 years at International Rectifier, expanding leadership and general management roles culminating as the vice president of aerospace and defense business unit with full P&L responsibility for several of their divisions worldwide.
API's chairman and CEO, Brian Kahn, commented, "We are delighted to have attracted a high-caliber leader such as Bel, who possesses extensive expertise in the defense electronics and high reliability aerospace industries. Bel has a proven track record in our key business disciplines, as well as tremendous creativity and vision. Bel's appointment, coupled with our recent merger with SenDEC, significantly strengthens API's ability to create value for our customers, employees, and all stakeholders. On behalf of the board of directors and all of our global team, I'm proud to welcome Bel to the API family."
Commenting on his appointment, Lazar said, "I am very excited to join the talented API team as the company continues its pursuit of profitable growth. API has exceptional technical and manufacturing expertise along with a depth of products that provides compelling solutions to the global defense industry and select commercial industries."
Lazar holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from California State University, Northridge; a master’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Southern California, and a juris doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law.