Happy days are here again for Henry Samueli and his Ph.D.s at Irvine chipmaker Broadcom Corp. “Lifting the burden of the stock options has brought a tremendous sense of freedom for him and the rest of the company,” says engineering veep Nick Alexopoulos. Broadcom’s billionaire cofounder still came to the office and served as an adviser during the 19 months he faced a federal fraud charge and the threat of imprisonment. But, says Alexopoulos, “I would sense a certain burden on his mind and shoulders, a sense of, ‘I have done everything right, why is this happening to me?’” Now exonerated, Samueli is fully re-engaged as chief technology officer, delving into administrative matters as well as the engineering work that is his forte. His reports include Alexopoulos, a reversal from years ago when Alexopoulos headed UCLA’s engineering department and hired “brilliant” former student Samueli as a professor. Alexopoulos went on to become dean of UCI’s engineering school, now named after Samueli. Alexopoulos joined Broadcom two years ago as a technical adviser and liaison to university researchers. He remains loyal, too, to Broadcom’s other cofounder, Samueli’s former Ph.D. student Henry “Nick” Nicholas, who also has had his charges dismissed. “I stand by my friends.” (Former CEO Nicholas no longer works at Broadcom but is, like Samueli, a major shareholder. The feds are considering an appeal for the Broadcom founders, but most bet it will be dropped.) What was the hardest adjustment for Alexopoulos after decades in academia? “The acronyms!” Even Alexopoulos’ job title requires deciphering: vice president, antenna & RF research and university relations, Office of the CTO …
Three of the winners discuss the Broadcom case at an Association of Business Trial Lawyers dinner April 7 at the Westin South Coast Plaza: CFO William Ruehle’s lawyer Richard Marmaro and former general counsel David Dull’s lawyers James Asperger and Seth Aronson. Good luck getting in—moderator Wayne Gross (a former U.S. Attorney now with Greenberg Traurig) says it’s sold out …
Dwight Manley says he and fellow OC businessman Steve Craig haven’t given up on acquiring the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, despite the state’s rejection of their $56.5 million bid: “I am very busy working on a win-win-win plan. We have the resources that neither the city nor county has to bring the fairgrounds to its long-past full potential. We are committed to working within the use guidelines desired by the city of Costa Mesa” …
The World Affairs Council has dinner with Machivenyika Mapuranga, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the U.S., Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Irvine …
Chris Cox hosts a fundraiser for Chris Cox Tuesday at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. Bingham McCutchen partner Christopher C. Cox (former OC congressman and SEC chairman) is among the hosts, who also include George Argyros, Gavin Herbert and Tom Fuentes. The guest is Christopher Nixon Cox (no relation), the late president’s grandson and a congressional hopeful in eastern Long Island. Mom Tricia Nixon Cox is also slated to attend.
