Michael J. Laine

Website: http://www.LiftPort.com

As President and founder of LiftPort Inc., the company devoted to the commercial development of the Space Elevator, Michael Laine is turning a lifetime interest into a professional venture.

Laine brings more than 15 years of business management and technology development experience, specifically useful for the technologies, financial services, and military markets the Space Elevator project will comprise. Not only has Laine worked for the past four years on space technology and development, he has dedicated the past three years of his professional career to the Space Elevator.

In addition to heading LiftPort, Laine currently gives lectures and presentations on the Space Elevator. He has previously done so at several schools: the Air Force Academy, Harvard, Notre Dame University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Texas, and the University of Washington. Laine has also lectured at many science fiction conventions, including Norwescon and DragonCon. Using speaking as a tool for space advocacy outreach, Laine has presented for the National Space Society, the Mars Society, the Science Fiction Foundation, and the Spaceshow. Laine has also addressed the Federal Aviation Association, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Prior to LiftPort, Laine was co-founder and president of HighLift Systems, working with Dr. Brad Edwards. HighLift received funds from NASA's Institution for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) for research on how to build an elevator to space.

Preceding the creation of HighLift Systems, Laine was Chief Executive Officer of TEKnology - Laine, a Washington-based Internet conglomerate, which he owned and operated from 1996 to 2001. TEKnology Laine consisted of three distinct companies: TekChek one of the first checking account-based financial transaction services for the internet, TekNet a national network of website designers, and YelloWWWeb an internationally recognized Internet merchant directory, listing more than 750,000 companies doing business over the Internet.

Foregoing TEKnology Laine, Laine occupied a variety of positions in the financial services industry. In these roles, he provided not only investment advice, but advice also for insurance, real estate, and business operations consulting.

Previous to these, Laine served in the United States Marine Corps. There, he coordinated, tested, and trained with other instructors to implement a pilot program of hand-to-hand combat for Marines in a variety of schools and class situations.

Laine has been recognized for his leadership numerous times in civic and community development. In addition, he has served on several non-profit boards locally.

Laine studied Business Administration at Boston University.