JAMES J. PETERSON
Chairman, Chief Executive
Microsemi Corp., Aliso Viejo
Born in Port Jefferson, N.Y.
Age: 59
Lives in Laguna Beach and San Juan Capistrano
WHY: Boss of OC’s second largest chipmaker has pushed roll-up strategy to more than $1.1 billion in sales, up more than fourfold since his tenure began in 2000. Has overseen 23 acquisitions along the way.
HOW: Ran Garden Grove-based Linfinity Microelectronics, unit of Symmetricom in San Jose. Microsemi bought Linfinity in 1999 for $24 million. Ran Linfinity as Microsemi division before promotion to top spot. Earlier held senior worldwide marketing and sales management positions with Silicon Systems Inc. Also held marketing management positions with Rockwell Corp. in Newport Beach and General Instruments Microelectronics in New York.
RECENT: Received Orange County Technology Alliance’s Outstanding CEO in Technology award. Acquired Camarillo-based chipmaker Vitesse Semiconductor in April for $389 million, one of his largest deals.
PERSONAL: Philanthropic interests in OC include Discovery Science Center; MIND Research Institute; CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of OC; Talk About Curing Autism; and Academy Charter High School, a community project of Orangewood Children’s Foundation. Staunch supporter of education; serves on UCI’s board of trustees, Social Ecology Leadership Council, Engineering Industry Advisory Board, Paul Merage School of Business Advisory Council and CEO Executive Roundtable. Enjoys golf, landscape gardening, driving fast cars, being a grandparent. Known for annual Super Bowl bash. Known by many as Jimmy P. Friendly, sunny outlook. Wife, Sheila; six children, seven grandchildren.
—Chris Casacchia
DAVID E.I. PYOTT
Former Chief Executive, Chairman
Allergan Inc., Irvine
(now part of Actavis PLC)
Born in London
Age: 61
Lives in Irvine
WHY: Longtime fixture in OC’s corporate scene plans to stay active after overseeing sale of Allergan to Actavis PLC for $72.5 billion. Will retain various platforms via philanthropic and board endeavors. Pocketed $534 million by trading in stock and options for cash.
HOW: Served as chief executive of Allergan since 1998. Previously spent 17 years with Sandoz, later Novartis. Allergan went from about $700 million to more than $6 billion in annual sales of eye drugs, pacesetting wrinkle remover Botox, and other products under Pyott’s leadership.
RECENT: Spent most of 2014 fighting off unsolicited takeover bid by Canada-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., which has OC roots, and activist investor Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management LP. Punctuated defense strategy with wryly spirited verbal jabs at Valeant, Ackman, expert behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Accepted friendly takeover bid from Actavis in November. Not joining Actavis’ board but remains chairman of the Allergan Foundation.
PERSONAL: Director, Avery Dennison Corp.; vice chair, Chapman University board of trustees. Nominated for board seat at Netherlands-based Philips Electronics. Military history buff. Worldly, cultivated sort with dry sense of humor and refined Scottish brogue. Raised in India, later Scotland. Fluent in four languages. Holds Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth. Diplomas in international, European law from Europa Institute at the University of Amsterdam. Master’s from University of Edinburgh, business master’s from London Business School. Wife, Julianna; four children. Enjoys mountain climbing, skiing.
—Vita Reed
SHAHEEN SADEGHI
President, Founder
LAB Holding LLC, Costa Mesa
Age: 61
Lives in Laguna Beach
WHY: Visionary developer behind retail centers that include the LAB Anti-Mall and The Camp in Costa Mesa, as well as the Anaheim Packing House food hall and Center Street among other projects.
HOW: Spent early days of his career as a couture designer for Charles James in New York City. Moved to West Coast to work for Jantzen Inc., once part of VF Corp., as an executive in design, merchandising and international manufacturing. Came to Orange County 10 years later to work for Gotcha Sportswear Inc., soon after taking on the role as executive vice president. Did stint as president of Quiksilver under Bob McKnight before launching Lab Holding—which stands for Little American Business. Opened LAB Anti-Mall in 1993 as an “indoor-outdoor hang out with shops and restaurants geared for the young at heart,” set out “to combat retail monotony.” The Camp followed in 2002 with a “sustainable” theme to its retail lineup. Last year Sadeghi opened doors to Anaheim Packing House, a gathering of independent restaurants in a renovated 100-year-old, 42,000-square-foot packinghouse.
RECENT: Lab Holding got go-ahead for Agora Arts District in Laguna Niguel, a 22-acre site envisioned as upscale and pedestrian-friendly downtown with specialty retail stores, restaurants, outdoor performance areas, a cultural arts plaza and a residential village.
PERSONAL: Studied fashion design and merchandising at Pratt Institute’s School of Design, Fashion, Art and Architecture in in Brooklyn, N.Y., and completed the Executive Finance Program at Harvard Business School. Ted Conference speaker. Received Developer of the Year Award in Anaheim, and Hall of Fame Award for Community Revitalization in Costa Mesa. Wife, Linda; three sons. Has fleet of nine cars, with 1954 Austin Healey as flagship.
—Mediha DiMartino
HENRY SAMUELI
Cofounder, Chief Technical Officer
Broadcom Corp., Irvine
Born in Buffalo, N.Y.
Age: 60
Lives in Corona del Mar
WHY: Revered as engineering visionary at Broadcom, one of the county’s well-known companies, world’s eighth largest chipmaker. Company now shipping some 7 million chips daily. Owns Anaheim Ducks and the company that runs Honda Center. Had big hand in moving Broadcom headquarters to campus in University Research Park alongside UCI, recruits engineers from school.
HOW: Former UCLA professor. Worked at PairGain, TRW in 1980s. Started Broadcom in 1991 with Henry “Nick” Nicholas, who left in 2003. Each threw in $5,000. Started recruiting best engineering students from UCLA.
RECENT: Broke ground on 1.1-million-square-foot Irvine corporate headquarters at Great Park Neighborhoods. Exited baseband chip business after pouring billions into smartphone segment, included 20% cut in global workforce; closure or consolidation of 18 locations in restructuring. Making gains in explosive Internet of Things market with new customer base of hot startups and emerging companies. Honored by Israeli government for contribution to innovation globally and in Israel, where Broadcom has been active acquirer over the years.
PERSONAL: Gave $30 million to UCLA, $20 million to UCI. Both universities named engineering schools after him. Other beneficiaries: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, OC High School of the Arts, PBS SoCal, Discovery Science Center, Tarbut V’Torah day school, Ocean Institute, Jewish Federation of OC, Shoah Foundation, University Synagogue. Met with President Barack Obama at White House as part of fourth annual Broadcom MASTERS middle school STEM competition. Parents, Aaron, Sala, were Holocaust survivors from Poland who met after war, came to America in 1950s, and eventually moved to Southern California. Family ran liquor store on Whittier Boulevard, where Samueli worked as teen. Understated, modest. Lifelong hockey, basketball fan. Skis, hikes. Bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate in electrical engineering from UCLA. Jointly runs Corona del Mar-based Samueli Foundation with wife, Susan. Couple has three children.
—Chris Casacchia
ANTON SEGERSTROM
Partner
South Coast Plaza, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, HTS Management
Costa Mesa
Age: 57
Lives: Corona del Mar
SANDRA “SANDY” SEGERSTROM DANIELS
Partner
South Coast Plaza, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, HTS Management
Costa Mesa
Age: 52
Lives: Costa Mesa, Newport Coast
WHY: Key stakeholders in family business defined in public’s eyes for decades by late Henry Segerstrom, developer of South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, along with much of the city’s business district and the arts center named for him. Anton is one of Henry’s three children from first wife, Yvonne de Chaviney Perry. Sandy is a daughter of Henry’s cousin, Harold, and his wife, Jeanette.
HOW: Anton graduated from University of Oregon with a degree in finance and business administration. He has been one of two general managers at Crate and Barrel/Macy’s home store wing at South Coast Plaza. Actively involved in leasing, marketing and development as partner at South Coast Plaza. Serves on the advisory boards of Someone Cares Soup Kitchen and Second Harvest Food Bank and on executive committee of the Orange County Museum of Art, which is expected to eventually move from Newport Beach to parcel of land family gave the organization on Segerstrom Center campus. Sandy attended California State University-Fullerton and worked way up in the family business. She founded Festival of Children Foundation, a support network for more than 400 charities.
RECENT: Each expected to increase roles as public faces for family and businesses in wake of elder Segerstrom’s passing.
PERSONAL: Anton, 57, is married to Jennifer and has two children, ages 12 and 14. Enjoys surfing, mountain climbing, art collecting.
Sandy, 52, divides her time between Costa Mesa and Newport Coast. She has a daughter and two grandchildren.
RONALD SIMON
Founder, Chairman
RSI Holding LLC, Newport Beach
Born in Los Angeles
Age: 80
Lives in Newport Beach
WHY: Head of group of companies, including cabinet maker RSI Home Products Inc. and real estate arm RSI Development.
HOW: Graduated from Los Angeles City College with degree in engineering. Worked as junior engineer at Layne and Bowler Pump Co. for five years before joining father’s medicine cabinet business, Perma-Bilt Industries. Led company to position as nation’s leading maker of bathroom medicine cabinets. Sold it in 1987 and re-entered industry with founding of RSI in 1989. Established homebuilding arm in 2008.
RECENT: RSI Development is focused on building single-family homes in Southern California and Texas. Company currently controls parcels of land throughout Texas and intends to build more than 2,500 homes in various cities. Simon announced American Housing Ventures, a privately held real estate development company, will now become subsidiary of RSI Development. AHV has offices in Newport Beach and Austin.
PERSONAL: With wife, Sandi, dedicated to helping youth gain better education and achieve self-sufficiency. Simon Foundations awarded more than 850 scholarships valued at more than $25 million over the years, with Simon Scholars a keystone of effort. Simon Foundations announced partnership with Horatio Alger Association, with plans to award $20 million in scholarships over next 10 years. Simon Foundations also announced partnership with Chapman University and Orange High School to create Simon STEM Scholarship Program. It will allow selected high school students who major in science, technology, engineering or math to receive full scholarship to Chapman. An estimated $2 million will be awarded annually to recipients. Simon is director of Pacific Symphony Orchestra. Recipient of Horatio Alger Award.
—Jane Yu
VINNY SMITH
Founder
Toba Capital, Insight Capital Partners
Newport Beach
Age: 51
Born in Baltimore
Lives in Newport Beach
WHY: Launched venture capital firm Toba in late 2012 with former Quest colleagues, now OC’s largest VC. Latest track for serial entrepreneur who sold Quest Software to Dell in early 2012 for $2.8 billion, cashed out some $800 million.
HOW: Started career with Oracle in 1986. In 1992 started San Francisco-based Patrol Software with an Oracle colleague. BMC Software Inc. bought Patrol in 1994 for an estimated $33.7 million. Joined Aliso Viejo-based Quest as chairman and chief executive in 1997 until sale. Grew company to $800 million-plus in annual sales to upper ranks of OC’s software makers. Oversaw more than 70 acquisitions and investments there.
RECENT: Built Toba’s portfolio to more than 80 investments, several in OC, including virtual reality content maker NextVR; True Drinks Inc., maker of sugar-free Aquaball kid drinks; security software maker SecureAuth Corp.; fast-growing data analytics software company Alteryx Inc.
PERSONAL: Supports more than 100 charitable causes, including the Miocean Foundation; Augie’s Quest, which battles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease; and various kids programs such as Orphan Starfish, which provides after school training in orphanages and shelters in 25 Latin America locations and the Philippines. Gave $4 million to Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, where he attended; seeded Newport Beach-based Gen Next Foundation with $1 million grant; and gave $1 million to Irvine-based nonprofit Fuel Freedom Foundation. Has several real estate plays across California as personal investor and chief financial backer behind Newport Beach-based developer Integral Communities. Graduated from University of Delaware, where he wrestled. Has a casual air—goes by Vinny and often sports jeans and a cap.
—Chris Casacchia
DAVID SUN
Chief Operating Officer, Vice President
Kingston Technology Co.,
Fountain Valley
Born in Taichung, Taiwan
Age: 64
Lives in Irvine
JOHN TU
Chief Executive
Kingston Technology Co., Fountain Valley
Born in Chongqing, China
Age: 73
Lives in Rolling Hills
WHY: Co-leaders of top memory products maker for computers and consumer electronics. Run county’s biggest minority-owned company and third largest private company. 2014 revenue topped $5.9 billion, up $500 million as sales of key memory component rebounded. Kingston employs about 750 local workers, 4,150 worldwide. Plants in Fountain Valley, Taiwan, mainland China. Sun oversees U.S. operation; Tu handles Asia.
HOW: Started computer maker Camintonn in garage in early 1980s. Became division VPs when former computer maker AST Research bought Camintonn. Left to start Kingston in 1987 after losing millions in stock market crash. Famous for handing out $100 million to workers after selling 80% of Kingston to Softbank in 1990s. Pair bought back Kingston in 1999 for fraction of what Softbank paid.
RECENT: 2014 revenue gains fueled by growing solid-state drive business for server memory and demand for storage and controller chips that go into smartphones and tablets, a rarely publicized business line. HyperX memory products and accessories geared for gamers a big driver as company debuted second-generation audio headset at International Consumer Electronics Show.
PERSONAL: Sun came from Taiwan in 1977, was chief engineer at Alpha Micro Systems in Costa Mesa, 1978 to 1982. Lively, unconventional operations man. Tu’s family fled China for Taiwan in 1949. Avid golfer. Electrical engineering degree from Tatung Institute of Technology in Taiwan. Married, two children. Son, Donald, heads Costa Mesa-based Association of Volleyball Players pro circuit. Sent to Germany as kid to live with uncle who owned Chinese restaurant. Says he “doesn’t like to study.” Expelled from several high schools. Came to U.S. in 1972. Electrical engineering degree from Technische Hochschule Darmstadt in Germany. UC Irvine cancer diagnostic center named for Tu, friend Tom Yuen, an AST Researcher cofounder. Funny, soft-spoken public face of company. Loves Elvis. Heads the JT and California Dreamin’ Band. Tu plays drums. Collects cars. Investor in Yuen’s stem cell startup PrimeGen Biotech.
—Chris Casacchia
PETER UEBERROTH
Chairman, Managing Director
Contrarian Group Inc., Newport Beach
Born in Evanston, Ill.
Age: 77
Lives in Laguna Beach (Emerald Bay)
WHY: Head of investment firm specializing in hospitality, travel industries. Former commissioner of Major League Baseball and chairman of U.S. Olympic Committee. Entrepreneur, philanthropist.
HOW: Went to San Jose State University on athletic scholarship and graduated with business degree. Played water polo in school and competed in 1956 U.S. Olympic trials. Post-college, got married and moved to Hawaii, starting career in travel industry. Founded First Travel Corp. in 1962. Built it to second largest travel business in North America before selling in 1980. Served as organizer of 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. First privately financed games ended with $238 million surplus. Served as MLB commissioner from 1984 to 1989. Oversaw Rebuild LA in wake of riots. Orchestrated 1999 acquisition of resort operator Pebble Beach Co. with Arnold Palmer and Clint Eastwood.
RECENT:Â Contrarian made various local investments, including in CT Realty, Payoff and PrimeSport Holdings, which sells tickets, suites, and hospitality packages to events ranging from Final Four to tennis Grand Slams. Contrarian is second largest shareholder of Century Golf Partners in Texas, which manages 160 golf courses, resorts and private clubs nationwide. Continues to be an investor in Marrone Bio Innovations and Sauce Labs.
PERSONAL: Named Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1984. Received Olympics Order in gold, highest award from International Olympic Committee. Received John Wooden Global Leadership Award from Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Author of bestseller “Made in America.” Chairman of U.S. Olympic Committee, 2004 to 2008. With wife, Ginny, founded Ueberroth Family Foundation in 1984, which daughter Vicki Ueberroth Booth runs as president. Part of founding group of Sage Hill School in Newport Beach.
—Jane Yu
WILLIAM W. WANG
Founder, Chief Executive
Vizio Inc., Irvine
Born in Taipei, Taiwan
Age: 51
Lives in Newport Beach
WHY: TV titan battles Samsung for top U.S. market share, leader in 4K Ultra HD TVs. Top seller of sound bars. Ranks among top private companies based in OC, with 2014 sales estimated at $3.5 billion. Moved Vizio into national spotlight with big endorsement deals, sports sponsorships. Expanded offerings into soundbars, tablets, streaming players, ultrabooks, all-in-one desktops.
HOW: Started Vizio in 2002. Company designs, markets TVs and other electronics here. Sets made in China, Taiwan, Mexico by Taiwan-based AmTran Technology, a Vizio investor, and others. Forged close partnerships with retailers, suppliers and original design manufacturers. Used similar model for prior companies—monitor sellers Mag InnoVision, Princeton Digital—in 1990s. Both took off early, ended poorly. Started Mag InnoVision at 26 with $350,000 from family, friends, Asian investor. Taiwan-based Mag Technology, which made the monitors, bought business in 1998.
RECENT: Expanded lineup with two new 4K models that won 2014 Best of CES Award, including 65-inch and 120-inch High Dynamic Range-Enabled Ultra HD TV supporting Dolby Vision that produces life-like images. Expanded No. 1-ranked soundbar line geared for 20-inch to 80-inch sets. Took TV brand into Canada and Mexico, put nascent PC bid on hold. Initiated strategic investments, a company first, in wearable technology startup Pear Sports LLC and smart-lawn sprinkler maker Blossom, both based in Irvine.
PERSONAL: Sits on board of Segerstrom Center, Viterbi School of Engineering Board of Councilors, President’s Leadership Council at alma mater USC, where he earned bachelor’s in electrical engineering, on Committee of 100 group of distinguished Chinese-Americans. Co-chairs Tim Salmon Foundation. Likes golf and other sports, reading, movies and, of course, TV. Moved to Hawaii at age 12, California at 14. Big on design, innovation, user-friendliness. Among survivors of Singapore Airlines crash that killed roughly half of passengers in 2000. Wife, Sakura; daughter.
—Chris Casacchia
DANIEL H. YOUNG
President, Irvine Community
Development Co.,
Newport Beach
Irvine Company, Newport Beach
Born in Orange
Age: 63
Lives in Irvine
WHY: Key Irvine Company executive after Chairman and OC 50er Don Bren.
HOW: Young came to Irvine Co. in 1999 after a 20-year career as a real estate developer, politician and industry consultant. Became head of community development in 2007. Responsible for all residential development on Irvine Ranch. Guides community masterplanning and development process. Oversees Irvine Pacific LP, in-house building division, as well as company’s nearly 50,000-unit apartment portfolio.
RECENT: Irvine Pacific is OC’s most active homebuilder for several years running. Closed on nearly 680 home sales last year. Selling more land to builders for projects on Irvine Ranch, getting top dollar for projects such as Orchard Hills, a high-end development that opened last year; Toll Brother’s Hidden Canyon project; and Cypress Village and Stonegate. Irvine Ranch has been California’s best-selling masterplanned community in U.S. for five years in a row, was second-best-selling community in U.S. last year. Builder profit-participation agreements for Irvine Co. land deals also means developer sees strong back-end profits for deals, on top of land sales to builders. One OC area the company won’t be building: a 2,500-acre stretch of vacant land in Anaheim Hills and East Orange where more than 5,000 homes once were planned. Irvine Co. donated the land to county last year, and it will remain permanent open space.
PERSONAL: Graduate of Santa Ana High School. Eight years as Santa Ana’s mayor, 11 years on its city council. City’s soccer field named after him. Also served on the boards of several regional agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District and the Orange County Transportation Authority. Currently on board of Taller San Jose in Santa Ana, which provides education, job skills for at-risk young adults. Bachelor’s from Cal State Fullerton, completed coursework toward master’s in public administration at USC.
FAMILY: Wife, Leslee; three children.
—Mark Mueller
