ECS President | 1962-1963
Frank L. LaQue was born in Gananoque, Ont., Canada on July 21, 1904. He received a B.S. degree in Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont. in 1927. Mr. Laque started out as Forman in charge of refining cobalt oxide at the Deloro Smelting and Refining Co. Canada. He joined International Nickel in late 1927 and specialized in the field of corrosion and corrosion-resistant materials. He was assistant director of Technical Service on Mill Products from 1937 until April 1940 when he became engaged in development activities on all applications of both ferrous and nonferrous nickel containing alloys. Under his leadership, Inco’s well-known corrosion testing stations were established at Kure Beach and Harbor Island, N.C. Frank LaQue became Vice-President of The International Nickel Co. and manager of the Development and Research Division in June 1954. In 1945, he became head of the Corrosion Engineering Section of that Division.
LaQue was active in many technical societies. He served as President of the American Society for Testing Materials and of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers. He was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and was Chairman of its General Materials Council. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Welding Research Council and chairman of the Corrosion Research Council. He was appointed one of three ASTM representatives on the Standards Council of the American Standards Association 1962-63.
Mr. LaQue was presented with the Frank Newman Speller Award in 1949 by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, and delivered the ASTM Edgar Marburg Lecture in 1951. As a member of The Electrochemical Society he served as Business Manager of the Journal and Chairman of the Sustaining Membership Committee. He was elected President of the Society in 1962. He received the Howard Coonley Gold Medal presented by the American Standards Association in 1963.
