Henry Samueli cofounded one of Orange County’s most valuable companies, has engineering schools named after him and is considered a genius of chip design.
But these days, “I’m better known for the Ducks,” he said.
The Anaheim Ducks’ win over the Ottawa Senators in hockey’s championship Stanley Cup Final has brought Samueli attention beyond what he’s used to at Irvine chipmaker Broadcom Corp.
Last week, Samueli was fresh off a flight from Ottawa when he addressed a chip conference in Newport Beach.
He sported a sharp, grey suit, an orange tie embroidered with tiny flowers and a week-old “playoff beard”, a hockey tradition that keeps players (and, apparently, owners) away from the razor.
Asked how he manages stress, Samueli said, “hockey.” Born in hockey-crazy Buffalo, he called himself a “lousy skater.”
Samueli and wife Susan bought the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2005 for an estimated $70 million from Walt Disney Co. A year ago, the Samuelis helped restyle the team with its new name, logo, colors and jersey.
Last fall, Forbes valued the team at $157 million. The Samuelis hope to see the Ducks break even in five years. The Stanley Cup should help by boosting ticket, merchandise and other revenue.
,Sarah Tolkoff
