Soraa Inc of Fremont, CA, USA, which develops solid-state lighting technology built on 'GaN on GaN' (gallium nitride on gallium nitride) substrates, has appointed Ann Reo as senior VP of product development.
Reo has more than 20 years of LED product development and lighting design experience. "Over the last year, our product offering has expanded far beyond the MR16 LED lamp that put us on the map," says CEO Jeff Parker. "Ann's background in lighting design and expertise in building LED products from the ground up gives Soraa an edge in pioneering solutions that designers and customers want — and the market needs," he believes.
Soraa reckons that Reo's success in category creation and innovation in the lighting industry gives her the ability to meet the needs of today's architecture with an eye toward human-centric needs. Her background as a trained architect and lighting designer allows her to develop and conceptualize products with specific applications in mind, the firm adds. This focus on end-user needs blends with Soraa's positioning in some of the most demanding architectural environments, including museums, retail, hospitality and health care.
After completing her Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and Masters of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the first decade of Reo's career was split between architectural firms, lighting companies and design consultancies. Then in 2001 she developed a business plan, raised venture capital investment and launched LED-based luminaire firm io Lighting. As president & CEO, she grew the firm until Eaton's Cooper Lighting acquired it in 2007. Under Reo's leadership, io's products won several design awards, including the Best New Product of the Year at LIGHTFAIR International 2004. At Cooper, Reo stayed on board as VP of Global SSL Solutions and general manager of io Lighting.
Reo will lead Soraa's new product development efforts in light engine design for OEM integration as well as custom solutions for specifiers, OEMS and end-users.
