Dr Laufer entered Deal School in the 6th grade when his family moved from Newark to the Jersey Shore. He was always proud to have graduated from APHS. At Asbury he earned Varsity letters in football, swimming and baseball while also participating in many other school extracurricular activities. It was there that he learned that there were many talented people in this world and that it would take hard work to be successful.

He attended the University of Vermont, where he graduated with honors and served as Class President all 4 years. After graduating medical school with honors at the University of Tennessee, he served as a Captain in the USAF. As an Air Force medical officer, he founded a crisis intervention center for community teenagers and worked with servicemen returning from Vietnam with substance abuse issues.

He completed additional medical training at UCLA, Cornell, and University of Miami affiliated hospitals en route to earning certification as an Orthopedic Surgeon. He completed his training as a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Dr. Laufer returned to NJ as the first fellowship trained Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon in the state. He was the founding partner and medical director of Pediatric Orthopedic Associates for over 38 years, presently the largest academic Pediatric Orthopedic group in NJ. His group has cared for countless numbers of children with Orthopedic issues. His personal practice focused on the care of children with spinal deformities. During that time he served as the Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics at RWJ University Hospital and Medical School, which subsequently became Rutgers Medical School. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America.

He was a physician leader in the creation and design of the RWJ Bristol Myers Squibb Children''s Hospital in New Brunswick. He has been involved in leadership committees, fund raising and the education of medical students and Orthopedic residents during his entire career.

Dr. Laufer has been married to Barbara Levine (the sister of APHS classmate Dr. Len Levine) for 47 years. Barbara and Skip currently live in Fair Haven, NJ where he previously volunteered as a baseball and assistant basketball coach. He is currently a trustee of the Twin Lights Historical Committee and serves on the Zoning Board of his home town. They happily have 4 children and 2 grandchildren, all living in the NY-NJ area. He relates his success to his work ethic, the commitment of his parents, Ruth and Harry, and the continued support of his wife Barbara.

Favorite Quote: “You can always judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." Malcom S. Forbes