Longtime QLogic Corp. Executive Chairman HK Desai died suddenly June 8 of cardiac arrest, the Aliso Viejo-based networking gear maker said.
Desai, who had been in various management roles at QLogic since 1995, was 68.
“This is a terrible loss for me personally and for all of us here at QLogic,” Chief Executive Prasad Rampall said in a statement.
Desai joined QLogic as interim chief executive, president and chief technical officer. He took the chief executive job on a permanent basis in 1996 and became board chairman in 1999. He remained chief executive until 2010, when he gave up the post to become executive chairman.
He carried great influence at QLogic throughout his tenure, hand-picking his successors over the years.
―Chris Casacchia
