DWIGHT WILLIAM DECKER
Chairman, CEO
Conexant Systems Inc.
Born in Brandon, Manitoba,
March 18, 1950
Lives in Newport Beach (Back Bay)
Turnaround man ahead of own schedule for reviving chipmaker.
Surprised Wall Street in fall with return to adjusted profitability three months before planned.
Quarter later, beat estimates for adjusted profits. Now looking to expand profits in third phase of turnaround.
Stock doubled in past six months.
Longtime Conexant leader, took back reins in late 2004 after nine months as chairman. Planned to step away after buying New Jersey’s GlobeSpan Virata.
Pulled back in after losses, botched integration.
Built turnaround on chips for satellite TV boxes, high-speed Internet, wireless networking. Big on India: made massive expansion into country, hiring 500 people in one year, headcount there at 900 and growing.
In January, Decker skipped International Consumer Electronics Show to go to India to detail extra $250 million investment.
Set to be around for a while. President Matt Rhodes recently said he plans to move on, figures he won’t be able to lead Conexant anytime soon.
Turnaround is latest chapter for Decker. Led business as chip arm of then defense contractor Rockwell.
Almost fired from Rockwell decade ago for pushing shift away from custom chips to modem chips, years before Internet entered mainstream.
Led 1999 spinoff. Rode tech boom, crash. Starting in 2002, set out on major reworking of company, selling off businesses, spinning off Skyworks Solutions, Mindspeed Technologies, sold chip plants as Jazz Semiconductor.
Looking to cash out 38% stake in Jazz, which has filed to go public.
Professorial, fiercely competitive, demanding.
Big donor, particularly to UCI. Member, former chair, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable, recruited 20-plus members.
Cofounder, driving force behind tech group Octane.
Still involved but community endeavors second fiddle to Conexant turnaround. Last year handed over chairmanship of San Jose-based Fabless Semiconductor Association to Qualcomm’s Sanjay Jha. Now vice chairman of trade group.
Dabbled in real estate: last year sold headquarters buildings for about $110 million, leased back.
Owns about 25 acres in Newport Beach near headquarters. Worth around $50 million. Looking to rezone for redevelopment as apartments, condos, stores. Move could triple land’s value.
Long way from rural Canadian upbringing. Bachelor’s in physics, math from Montreal’s McGill University, doctorate in applied math from Caltech.
Was a math prof at North Carolina State, Raleigh, 1978 to 1984. Took sabbatical with modem maker TeleBit in Silicon Valley, fell in love with corporate life.
Still visits family in Canada, prefers weather in OC.
Director, Pacific Life, along with OC 50er Tom Sutton
Wife Silla, 4-year-old son. Enjoys spending time with family.
,Brian Womack
HENRY A. SAMUELI
Chairman, Chief Technical Officer
Broadcom Corp.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Sept. 20, 1954
Lives in Corona del Mar
SCOTT ALAN McGREGOR
CEO, President
Born in St. Louis, Oct. 10, 1956
Lives in San Juan Capistrano
McGregor starting second year on job alongside cofounder Samueli. They head up one of hottest chip companies.
Broadcom’s stock near multiyear high with rapid sales growth, chips in iPods, Razrs. Things haven’t been this good since 2000.
Samueli, remaining half of founding duo at OC’s most valuable company, helped bring in McGregor early last year to lead mature company with youthful perspective.
McGregor third CEO in company’s 14-year history. Replaced interim chief, chip veteran Alan “Lanny” Ross, who himself replaced rambunctious founder Henry “Nick” Nicholas.
Nicholas, who owns about 26 million shares, has 32% voting stake, left in 2003 amid changes at company, family issues.
Nicholas consulted on McGregor hire. He, Samueli felt pressure to hire smart, say choice has proved to be good so far.
McGregor surprised Wall Street in February with guidance of 6% rise in sequential sales.
Former Philips exec has put company deeper into consumer electronics. Early last year, assembled engineering to make chip for video iPod. Move paid off with sales at end of 2005.
Company also sees mammoth growth from Bluetooth, wireless networking popular with cell phone users.
Taken hard line against cell phone chip leader Qualcomm. Companies have fired off lawsuits at each other.
Challenge ahead: stock options. Company could get dinged by analysts when they include costs in estimates.
McGregor paid $3 million in 2005. Awarded about $4.5 million in options.
Bespectacled, 5-foot, 10-inches tall. Thoughtful, calculating. Likes outdoors, spending time with wife, two kids. Professional, likeable.
Smart. Great recall. Gets more animated when he talks about chips, electronics. Writes blog for employees.
Well-rounded career. Formerly headed Philips Semiconductors. Lengthy background in software, stints with Santa Cruz Operation, Microsoft, Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center. Also worked at Digital Equipment.
Samueli oversees research, called engineering genius. Turned down top job upon Nicholas’ exit because he says research would have suffered. Owns 26.7 million shares, 32% voting stake, hair more than Nicholas.
Former lab guy, was Nicholas’ professor at UCLA. Worked at PairGain with Nicholas in 1980s, started Broadcom in 1991. Met Nic-holas at TRW in 1980s.
Bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate in electrical engineering from UCLA.
Says he learned frugality from parents. Billionaire says he still compares prices while shopping.
Last year, he, wife Susan bought Mighty Ducks of Anaheim hockey team from Walt Disney for reported $75 million. Team bounced back from strike, made playoffs in first year under Samueli. Plans to shorten name to Anaheim Ducks next year. Owns company that runs Arrowhead Pond. Could bring NBA to Pond.
With wife, is one of county’s top philanthropists. Made more than $150 million in charitable gifts in past decade. Given $30 million to UCLA, nearly that to UCI. Along with other execs, received “Advocate of the Year” from UC Alumni Association in March.
Performing Arts Center, Ocean Institute, Temple Beth El, Reform Synagogue, University Synagogue also beneficiaries.
Parents, Aaron, Sala, were Holocaust survivors from Poland. Met after war. Came to America in the 1950s, moved to California. Family ran liquor store on Whittier Boulevard, where Samueli worked as teen.
Described as understated, moderate in all aspects of life. Enjoys skiing, hiking, basketball. Three children.
Richard Dale Snyder
Chairman, Interim CEO
Gateway Inc.
Born in Battle Creek, Mich.,
Aug. 19, 1958
Lives in Irvine, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Chairman, caretaker CEO as computer maker searches for boss after 2005 OC 50er Wayne Inouye’s surprising exit earlier this year.
Was in running for job himself. Pulled out last week.
Leading board’s search. Goal to hire by fall. Snyder expected to stay as chairman after new CEO found. For now, tending to turnaround effort.
Some still in shock over Inouye’s ouster. Inouye led company back to profitability on retail sales, cost cutting, after years of red ink. Critics say his letting go was latest blunder for company known for missteps.
Snyder’s family in Michigan, ties to state were factors in withdrawing from permanent CEO consideration. “I have three children and it just was not going to work out for them.”
On OC: “The weather’s nice.”
Previously COO under Ted Waitt, Gateway’s founder, largest shareholder. Waitt’s pullback from company affairs seems real this time around.
Gateway trying to keep PC toehold amid behemoths Dell, HP. Looking to boost sales to businesses, directly to consumers.
Last year, company saw 59% rise in retail sales, 52% drop in direct sales, 11% decline in sales to business, schools, governments.
Snyder says initiatives will help grow sales. Planned U.S. plant will get PCs to businesses quickly. Server line getting upgrade. Targeting gamers, other special users with direct push.
Growth comes with “getting down to blocking and tackling level.” Emphasizes execution of plans.
Wants to communicate simple story: “We need to set a path so people know what to expect of us.”
Former stint at Gateway began in 1991. For six years, was executive VP, director under Waitt. President, COO in 1996, 1997.
In 1997, founded, led Avalon Investments, venture capital firm. Started as $100 million fund. From 1997 to 2000 invested in 24 companies.
Chairman at Gateway since 2005.
Other job: Chairman, CEO, cofounder of Ardesta in Ann Arbor, focused on bringing small tech products to global markets.
Casual delivery style called throw back to days when Gateway was based in South Dakota.
Has Midwest roots himself. Grew up in Michigan, big University of Michigan guy.
Earned three degrees from University of Michigan, then MBA, then law degree. Member of three University of Michigan advisory boards, including chairman of Technology Transfer Board.
Started career in 1982 with Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in tax department of Detroit office. Rose to partner. In 1989 named partner in charge of mergers, acquisitions in Chicago office. Focused on buyer’s side, due diligence.
Serves as chairman of Ann Arbor Spark, economic development group, on board of The Nature Conservancy, Michigan chapter.
Loves spending time with wife, children.
,Brian Womack
GREGORY MARK EMILE SPIERKEL
CEO
Ingram Micro Inc.
Born in Sept- & #206;les, Quebec,
Jan. 27, 1957
Lives in Laguna Hills
New leader making OC’s largest company by sales even bigger.
Sales, earnings growing, sometimes beyond expectations. Company moved up four spots on this year’s Fortune 500 to No. 72. Stock up about a fourth since taking helm last June.
Technology products distributor edging longtime nemesis Tech Data, especially in Europe.
Last year devoted to making company more efficient with outsourcing, layoffs, other efforts. Also, integrating, making acquisitions. Margins growing in business with slim profits.
“It’s all moving in the right direction,” Spierkel says.
Now seeking to drive overall revenue growth. Increased focus on consumer electronics.
Joined Ingram in 1997 as senior vice president, president, Ingram Micro Asia-Pacific. Was vice president, president of Ingram Micro Europe. Most recently was worldwide president, responsible for global divisions with focus on company’s Europe, Asia-Pacific businesses.
Led Ingram’s $530 million buy in 2004 of Tech Pacific, largest in company history. Acquisition has gone better than hoped. Region fueling overall growth.
Also key in 1997’s buy of Singapore’s Electronic Resources.
Operations man: oversaw Europe consolidation, including operations in Scandanavia, integration of major acquisition in Germany.
Prior to Ingram, spent 11 years at Canada’s Mitel, maker of phone systems, software, electronics. Got his start at Bell Canada, working on one of first e-mail systems in 1979.
Holds business master’s from Georgetown University, bachelor’s from Carleton University, Ottawa. Attended Advanced Manufacturing Program at Insead in France.
Unlike predecessor Kent Foster, a 2004 OC 50er who split time between OC, Dallas, Spierkel based at Santa Ana HQ.
Not pretentious. Open to others’ opinions. Has spent many an hour with customers since arrival.
Parents came from Luxemburg to Canada. Uncle is founder of Cirque du Soleil. Father a jack-of-all-trades, owned newspaper, TV station, worked at airline, dabbled in construction. Mother was a linguist who spoke seven languages.
Played hockey, curling until age 17. Says he wasn’t NHL material. Worked for a time in iron ore mines, doing number of duties including driving giant mining trucks. Has lived abroad most of professional life, including in Hong Kong, Singapore, England, Belgium.
Says he enjoys living in OC, particularly weather.
Two boys, 9, 12. Both have triple citizenship: Canada, U.S., UK.
Wife Rhiannon. “A good Welsh name,” he says.
Gary Shigeo Toyama
Vice President, Southern California, Boeing Intergrated Systems,
Boeing Co.
Born in Great Lakes, Ill., May 9, 1954
Lives in Orange
Boeing’s new local leader in time of growth, management changes.
Took over in fall for former OC 50er Bill Collopy, who held position since 2003.
Local operations seeing expansion with Pentagon’s effort to unify, upgrade military systems.
Much of the effort centered in Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Seal Beach. About 1,000 Delta rocket workers in Huntington Beach to leave for Denver as part of planned satellite combination with Lockheed Martin.
Toyama oversees about 12,000 workers in Anaheim, Cypress, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine.
Not in charge of programs; oversees site administration, operations, employees.
Recent changes: had reported to former OC 50er Jim Albaugh, chief executive of Integrated Defense Systems in St. Louis. Now reports to Howard Chambers, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems in Seal Beach. Toyama still oversees California sites.
Says he can devote more time to the job than Collopy, who had other duties. Collopy serves as chairman of Sea Launch, Boeing’s satellite venture with European partners, was involved in acquisitions at Boeing.
Toyama’s goal: boost ties, find common ground among Boeing’s various programs. Faces stiff competition for engineers.
Southern California one of most diverse collections of businesses for Boeing. Sites sometimes make decisions without much thought for others.
Toyama looks at the overall California picture in bid to manage costs, customer needs, benefit from having all program workers in one area.
People person: has brought site managers into more joint meetings. Also, trying to organize information from each site to easily share among different operations.
Looking to close or sell sites no longer needed.
Boeing already sold off acres in Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, elsewhere for redevelopment.
Toyama, who has engineering, finance training, knows local operations well.
After graduating from UCI in 1978 with master’s, joined Rockwell Internation-al in 1978 in finance department. Within three years, was in management. Later moved to operations, manufacturing at Rockwell.
Since late 1990s has touched almost every piece of region’s businesses.
Was director for Delta IV rocket program in Huntington Beach. Was director of business operations for space group in Seal Beach. Most recently was deputy to vice president of Integrated Defense Systems. Pair oversaw 20,000 workers in 20 plants across the country.
Affable. Friendly. Unselfish. Sends out personally signed Christmas cards to colleagues.
Former professional bowler. Used winnings for spending money in college. At 13, had average score of 170. Has bowled 27 perfect games.
Of Japanese descent. Executive sponsor for the Asian American Professionals Association, Amelia Earhart Society, Mesa Boeing Black Employees Association.
In 2005, Toyama landed Mentor-of-the-Year award from Inroads, nonprofit that trains talented minority youths. Recipient of National Asian American Corporate Achievement Award.
Married 27 years to wife Sandy. Two daughters.
,Brian Womack
VICTOR TSAO
Senior Vice President,
Cisco Systems Inc.
General Manager, Cofounder
Cisco-Linksys LLC
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Sept. 21, 1953
Lives in Newport Coast
Founded Irvine’s Linksys with wife Janie, played big part in building consumer market for networking gear.
Sold to Cisco Systems for $500 million in 2003.
Still heads unit, given leeway by Cisco boss John Chambers, who made him company VP and is using Linksys as basis for consumer push.
Last year Cisco paid about $60 million for Kiss Technology, maker of networked DVD players, media adapters, other products. Folded unit into Linksys.
Cisco also recently spent $7 billion on Scientific-Atlanta, big maker of cable TV set-top boxes, modems. Unit to stay outside Linksys but work together.
Linksys adding more to lineup, eyeing networked homes that let users control air conditioning, iPod, TV, other devices over home network.
Traditionally geeky Linksys appealing more to mainstream.
Also expanding Cisco’s Internet-based phone systems to small-business market.
Linksys on track to post yearly sales of $1 billion. Unit accounts for about 5% of Cisco revenue, has more than half of U.S. market for home networking gear.
Built Linksys from ground up. In early days, took out trash at Irvine headquarters. He, wife left cushy computer jobs in late 1980s to start company from home. Classmates from Taiwan approached them about selling network gear.
Used own money. First product, MultiShare, linked printers.
Moved on to routers. Today, wireless networking is big.
Struck Cisco deal with Chambers over a doughnut. First acquisition Cisco has allowed to keep brand name.
Has seen huge growth in global sales as part of Cisco.
Not big on meetings. They just prolong decisions, he says. Product of Corporate America: worked in middle management in tech department at Taco Bell before starting Linksys. Earlier stints at Santa Fe International, TRW, Kraft.
Humble. Smiles, laughs a lot. Took trip to Egypt after sale, bought leather jacket. Lived in modest house in Irvine for several years. Splurged on Newport Coast house when Linksys began to take off.
Bachelor’s in computer science from Taiwan’s Tamkang University. Master’s in computer science, Illinois Institute of Technology. Business master’s, Pepperdine University.
Met wife at Tamkang University.
Two sons, 20, 22. Attend UCI, Cal State Fullerton.
Drives a Mercedes. Plays basketball with sons. Doesn’t like golf. Takes up too much time, he says.
Company man: wears Linksys shirts to work. Likes to keep it casual with jeans, when possible.
JOHN TU
President, Kingston Technology Co.
Born in Chongquing, China,
Aug. 21, 1941
Lives in Rolling Hills
DAVID SUN
COO, Vice President
Kingston Technology Co.
Born in Tai-Chung, Taiwan,
Oct. 12, 1951
Lives in Irvine
Duo behind company that’s fast-becoming one of OC’s largest.
Tu, Sun head up biggest maker of memory products for computers, networking gear, consumer gadgets.
Company buys memory chips from Asian, European suppliers, assembles on circuit boards or as flash. Industry largely based in OC. Kingston dominates with 27% share.
2005 sales soared to record $3 billion, up 22% from 2004.
Credit solid product lineups, “stronger focus on developing memory market segments for global production expansion.”
Boards for computers are bread and butter. Flash memory cards for consumer devices growing.
Flashy move: recently struck pact with Paris’ Actimagine, will provide flash memory for technology that lets cell phones carry movies.
Plants in Malaysia, Taiwan. Expanding in China. Opened 260,000-square-foot plant in Shanghai this year. Set to expand China operations by 300%.
In 2004, Sun, Tu paid $4 million to buy out China Great Wall Computer Shenzhen’s 20% stake in the company’s Shanghai operation.
Moves in Japan: Last year anted up $27 million through Japanese affiliate for 27% stake in new company that tests memory wafers for manufacturers in Japan, including Elpida Memory of Tokyo.
Tu, soft-spoken public face of Kingston. Sun, boisterous operations man.
Pair made big news in 1996 by handing out $100 million in bonuses to workers after selling 80% of Kingston to Softbank. Duo bought back Kingston in 1999 for fraction of what Softbank paid.
Tech downturn took toll on fabled benevolence. In 2001, some benefits cut, bonuses halted, workers laid off for first time. Yearly sales fell below $1 billion during slump.
Never lost title as OC’s largest minority-owned company by sales, workers. Would rank as No. 6 among OC public companies, just ahead of Broadcom.
Sun, Tu sit in cubicles with other workers. Headquarters has strong Asian influence but is global melting pot. Many languages spoken.
In early 1980s, duo founded Camintonn in garage. Lugged around memory in back seats of their cars. Became division VPs when computer maker AST Research bought Camintonn. Left to start Kingston in 1987 after losing millions in proceeds in stock market crash.
Two made wager when founding company. Tu bet Kingston wouldn’t succeed, Sun bet it would. The stakes: a new Jag. Tu paid off in 1990.
A few years later, Sun gave Jag to six-year employee whose longtime dream was to own one.
Sun once challenged Sun Microsystems’ Scott McNealy to golf to settle a lawsuit.
Tu’s mother was an actress. Family fled to Taiwan in 1949.
A rebellious student who loved Elvis, sent to Germany to live with an uncle who owned Chinese restaurant. Learned enough German to start engineering apprenticeship. Earned electrical engineering degree from Technische Hochschule Darmstadt in Germany. Came to U.S. in 1972.
Wife Mary, two children. Plays drums. Every Tuesday, plays with his band “JT and California Dreamin'” at Kingston’s HQ. Band includes workers, colleagues, professionals.
Duo named company after beloved Kingston Trio. Member of 1960s folkie group recently visited, sang with Tu’s band.
Sun came from Taiwan in 1977, was chief engineer at Alpha Micro Systems in Costa Mesa, 1978 to 1982. Electrical engineering degree from Taiwan’s Ta-Tung Institute of Technology.
Wife Diana, two children. Avid golfer.
,Brian Womack
HARSHAD K. “H.K.” DESAI
Chairman, CEO, President
QLogic Corp.
Born in Abrama, Gujarat, India,
March 13, 1946
Lives in Laguna Beach
Engineer with business smarts.
Heads designer of chips, circuit boards, boxes for storage area, server networks used by big companies to manage, access data, process mammoth computations. Sun Micro-systems, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Hitachi are buyers.
Competes with Brocade, former parent Emulex. Gained market share lead in long-running battle with Emulex.
Has shed slow-growth business, entering healthy markets, getting more efficient.
Sold disk drive controller business for $225 million last year to Sunnyvale’s Marvell Technology Group. Unit was profitable but inconsistent.
Stock near 52-week highs, market value of $3 billion. Investors see brighter future without disk drive controllers.
Paid about $110 million this year to buy Sunnyvale’s PathScale. Deal boosts QLogic’s product lineup, helps servers quickly communicate with each other during demanding tasks.
Has outsourced about 100 low-level jobs to his native India, says move helps engineers here focus on key products. Expects more hiring, including in OC.
Expanding locally. Real estate sources say company plans to add building to Aliso Viejo campus, going from 200,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet.
A regular on stock conference, trade show circuit. Going on 12th year as QLogic chief. Considers himself more engineer than executive.
In 1995 left QLogic to become VP at Western Digital. Lured back to QLogic as interim CEO soon after abrupt exit of then-CEO Mel Gable. Board said to have come around to Desai’s way of thinking. Post made permanent in 1996.
Side project: spent past few years trying to right Irvine-based Lantronix, where he’s chairman. Company, which restated 2002 results, not out of woods. Still losing money, subtle revenue growth. Shares up more than 40% in past six months.
Earned master’s in electrical engineering from UC Berkeley. Was engineering manager at Unisys in Mission Viejo for 10 years before joining QLogic in 1990 as engineering director. Earlier stints at NCR, Sperry Univac, Addressograph Multigraph.
Engineer’s boss. As new QLogic leader, scaled back sales and marketing departments temporarily so he could hire more engineers.
Pensive, calculating. Said to be aggressive in meetings. Shrewd questioner, deft businessman.
Has a lighter side,said to crack up everyone in room.
Strives for egalitarianism. Wants to ensure everyone, especially engineers, can speak freely. Has no reserved parking place. Won’t demand place in front of buffet line.
Company split off from Emulex in 1994. When asked about competing with Emulex, told New York Times, “In my culture, we are not allowed to say bad things about our parents.”
On top of corporate governance rules. Some call him an expert. Named 2002 Director of the Year by Forum for Corporate Directors. Member, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable. Charter member, Southern California chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs.
Wife Anjanna, two grown children. Used to like skiing, tennis; swears by golf now.
,Brian Womack
PAUL FRANCIS FOLINO
Chairman, CEO
Emulex Corp.
Born in Seattle, Jan., 23, 1945
Lives in Coto de Caza
Day job: pushing veteran tech company toward faster growth. Side gig: helping moderate Republi-cans in decidedly blue state of California.
Influential GOP booster in county, state. Chairman of moderate Republican group New Majority, key support group for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Serves on governor’s job-creation commission. Informally lobbied legislators on behalf of governor’s public works plan.
In upper ranks of those with close ties to Schwarzenegger. His support unwavering, despite governor’s political setbacks. Has given more than $1 million to governor, his causes. Big fund-raiser: has helped raise more than $10 million for governor, mostly from New Majority members. Hosted governor, Maria at Coto de Caza home in 2003, VIP at state of state speeches. Says he’s “like family” with Schwarzeneggers.
Only few years ago was political independent. Now office walls graced with pictures of high-ranking Republicans.
At Emulex, working to jumpstart sales growth. Seen setbacks of late. Emulex makes gear for linking computers on storage networks run by big companies.
Expanding into products targeting smaller companies. Looking for acquisitions. Has plenty of cash on hand to go shopping. Last month struck deal to buy San Jose networking company Aarohi Communications for about $40 million.
In 2003, moved company to bigger, custom Costa Mesa campus.
Has led Emulex’s growth from quiet maker of printer networking cards to leading maker of fibre channel adapters for storage networks.
Still working hard. Gets up at 4:30 a.m. Says he feels guilty if he sleeps in until 5 a.m.
Approachable with old-school friendliness. Good communicator.
One of OC’s top philanthropists, arts patrons.
Heavily involved in Performing Arts Center as board member, former chair. Led South Coast Rep growth, theater named for him. Awarded Outstanding Patron by Arts Orange County in 2003.
Vice chairman of Chapman University’s board, heads fund raising for Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Also supports Cal State Fullerton.
Been around corporate block. In 1980s, left post at computer distributor Eczel after mismanagement by corporate raider James Goldsmith.
Brought on at Emulex in 1992. Oversaw shake-up after his arrival.
Born into modest Seattle home, lived in public housing. Neither parent finished high school. Put himself through graduate school by working at Boeing.
Graduated cum laude with bachelor’s from Central Washington State University. Received MBA from Seattle University.
Career stops at Xerox, Thomas-Conrad. Advisory board member of JatoTech Ventures, an Austin, Texas, venture firm. Director, Project Tomorrow, Mind Institute.
Huge sports fan. Likes golf, has season tickets to Lakers, Clippers, Ducks, Angels. True to roots, is Seattle Seahawks fan. Wife Daranne, daughter Courtney, 19.
,Brian Womack
ARif Shakeel
CEO, President
Western Digital Corp.
Born in Karachi, Pakistan,
Jan. 30, 1955
Lives in Laguna Niguel
MATTHEW ERIC MASSENGILL
Executive Chairman
Western Digital Corp.
Born in Placentia, April 12, 1961
Lives in Laguna Niguel
Reconfigured leadership duo at disk drive maker.
Massengill stepped down as CEO in October, now executive chairman. Former COO, longtime right-hand man Shakeel stepped up. Some speculated move prompted by courting of Shakeel by another company. He says no.
No massive change for conservative-minded company. Massengill still very involved. Participates in earnings calls. Both kept same offices.
Longtime engineer Massengill drove turnaround in past years with help of Shakeel. Had realist tack: drives are commodities. Pushed lean manufacturing in Southeast Asia, spends less on R & D; than rivals, though spending on upswing with push into new markets. Helped reduce operational costs by 50%.
Expect more of the same under Shakeel. Won’t push company into markets first. Waits to see what sells and then dives in. Uses operational efficiency to gain market share.
Re-entered drives for laptops in 2004 after exiting business back in 1997. Late to party, but sales soaring. Good growth in drives for set-top boxes as traditional drives for PCs see slower growth. Not much from consumer gadgets yet.
Shakeel must deal with massive rival Seagate Technology. Largest player in market buying No. 4 Maxtor in deal worth $1.9 billion. Western Digital now more distant No. 2.
In twist, deal could benefit company with more sales as big PC makers shift contracts to Western Digital to diversify supply.
Concerns of price war persist in industry, though some analysts dismiss worries. Shakeel trying to limit concerns by managing supply more effectively.
Shakeel not a flashy leader, more like an affable neighbor. Likes to laugh.
True to past position, loves to talk up operations, how they can run more efficiently. Comfortable in new role.
Loves engineering. Knew he would be in industry since he was 10-year-old growing up in Pakistan.
Began career at Western Digital in 1985 as product manager. Later held positions of director of marketing, marketing VP, procurement VP.
Took hiatus in 1997 from Western Digital, rejoined in 1999.
Family man. Loves spending time with wife, two children. Daughter offers advice following conference calls.
Likes golf, music, including jazz, the Stones. Basketball fan, loves Lakers.
Sits on board of Share Our Selves, provider of food, clothes to disadvantaged.
Massengill: Western Digital vet. Took charge in 2000.
Company man.
Spent past 19 years at Western Digital.
Began career as a product engineer. Held various engineering, marketing positions.
Named vice president, marketing for personal storage division in 1994. Three years later, was named senior vice president, general manager of now-defunct enterprise storage group. In 1999, appointed executive vice president, worldwide operations. Four months later became chief operating officer.
Took over from longtime chief Charles Haggerty. Added chairman’s title in 2001.
Business style described as gentlemanly. Even-tempered, personable. Bit of a card, known for making people laugh.
Fine in casual attire. Wore Hawaiian shirt on first day as chief executive. Left Western Digital briefly in 1990 to run a ranch in Oregon.
Director of Walnut’s ViewSonic, Irvine’s Microsemi, charity Think Together. Member, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable.
Engineering degree from Purdue University in 1983, received Purdue’s Outstanding Engineering Alumni award in 1988. Married.
,Brian Womack
HONORABLE MENTION
L. George Klaus
Chairman, CEO, president
Epicor Software Corp.
STEPHEN D. MARLOW
Executive vice president
Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc.
HENRY “NICK” NICHOLAS III
Cofounder, Broadcom Corp.
LEE ROBERTS
Chairman, CEO
FileNet Corp.
VINCENT “VINNY” SMITH
Chairman, CEO
Quest Software Inc.
RON VERNI
CEO
Best Software Inc.
