Dirk Gates
Encyclopedia
Dirk I. Gates is an American
business
man, founder and Chief Executive Officer
of two companies, Xircom
and Xirrus
. In 1983 Gates received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from California State University, Northridge
and then completed the MBA program at Pepperdine University
in 1990 at the age of 27 while co-founding his first company, Xircom
, with fellow entrepreneur Kirk Mathews. Xircom
created the industry's first product Ethernet Pocket Adapter which allowed notebook computers to connect to Ethernet LAN
s, along with the industry's first Type III PC Card
called the RealPort that allowed users to connect Ethernet cables and phone cables directly to the notebook without the use of dongles.
Gates served as Xircom
’s president after its launch in November 1988, became Chief Executive Officer
in 1991 and a short time later, in 1995, he became chairman of this rapidly expanding company. In March 2001, after 13 years in operation, Gates negotiated the sale of Xircom
to Intel Corporation
for US $748 Million. Gates served as vice president and general manager
of mobile communications at Intel and then went on to co-found Xirrus
, a wi-fi
technology company, in early 2004 with Patrick Parker and Steve DeGennaro. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Xirrus which designs and sells wireless networking equipment called Wi-Fi Array
s based on the IEEE standards 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n.
In 1992 Gates was honored as High Technology
Entrepreneur
of the Year for the Greater Los Angeles area
and, in 1994 , made Forbes
Magazine's Whiz Kid list of the five youngest CEOs of the Best small Companies in America
. Dirk appeared on the Dylan Ratigan
show on MSNBC
in September 2010 and in January 2011 Gates was featured in a Kym McNicholas segment on Forbes
TV. He has also given countless speeches and presentations on Wi-Fi including the keynote address at Interop
New York 2010. Gates has been a member of the CSUN Foundation Board, has served as Chairman of the Viewpoint School
Board of Trustees, and is also a member of the Pepperdine Board of Visitors.
In 1997 Dirk Gates donated $1 million (apiece) of his personal funds to CSUN and Pepperdine University to express his gratitude for the knowledge he acquired during his schooling.
s in California and Nevada. To facilitate his hobby, Gates started a side company, Gates Brothers Rocketry, with his brother, Erik Gates. The duo appeared on several episodes of the popular Discovery Channel
TV series MythBusters
that involved rocketry, including the pilot episode.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man, founder and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of two companies, Xircom
Xircom
Xircom, Inc. was based in Thousand Oaks, California, with manufacturing facilities located in Penang & Malaysia and international offices throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. They were one of the first companies to develop network computing products for notebook computers. Products included...
and Xirrus
Xirrus
Xirrus, Inc is a Wi-Fi technology company based in Thousand Oaks, California, USA, that designs and sells wireless networking equipment based on the IEEE standards 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n. The company has been independently selling these products since 2005. Xirrus currently...
. In 1983 Gates received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
and then completed the MBA program at Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
in 1990 at the age of 27 while co-founding his first company, Xircom
Xircom
Xircom, Inc. was based in Thousand Oaks, California, with manufacturing facilities located in Penang & Malaysia and international offices throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. They were one of the first companies to develop network computing products for notebook computers. Products included...
, with fellow entrepreneur Kirk Mathews. Xircom
Xircom
Xircom, Inc. was based in Thousand Oaks, California, with manufacturing facilities located in Penang & Malaysia and international offices throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. They were one of the first companies to develop network computing products for notebook computers. Products included...
created the industry's first product Ethernet Pocket Adapter which allowed notebook computers to connect to Ethernet LAN
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
s, along with the industry's first Type III PC Card
PC Card
In computing, PC Card is the form factor of a peripheral interface designed for laptop computers. The PC Card standard was defined and developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association which itself was created by a number of computer industry companies in the United States...
called the RealPort that allowed users to connect Ethernet cables and phone cables directly to the notebook without the use of dongles.
Gates served as Xircom
Xircom
Xircom, Inc. was based in Thousand Oaks, California, with manufacturing facilities located in Penang & Malaysia and international offices throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. They were one of the first companies to develop network computing products for notebook computers. Products included...
’s president after its launch in November 1988, became Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
in 1991 and a short time later, in 1995, he became chairman of this rapidly expanding company. In March 2001, after 13 years in operation, Gates negotiated the sale of Xircom
Xircom
Xircom, Inc. was based in Thousand Oaks, California, with manufacturing facilities located in Penang & Malaysia and international offices throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. They were one of the first companies to develop network computing products for notebook computers. Products included...
to Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
for US $748 Million. Gates served as vice president and general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of mobile communications at Intel and then went on to co-found Xirrus
Xirrus
Xirrus, Inc is a Wi-Fi technology company based in Thousand Oaks, California, USA, that designs and sells wireless networking equipment based on the IEEE standards 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n. The company has been independently selling these products since 2005. Xirrus currently...
, a wi-fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
technology company, in early 2004 with Patrick Parker and Steve DeGennaro. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Xirrus which designs and sells wireless networking equipment called Wi-Fi Array
Wi-Fi Array
Wi-Fi Array is the name Xirrus uses for a wireless device that allows up to 1,024 wireless users to connect to a wireless network. A single Wi-Fi Array replaces a wireless LAN controller and several wireless access points....
s based on the IEEE standards 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n.
In 1992 Gates was honored as High Technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
of the Year for the Greater Los Angeles area
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
and, in 1994 , made Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
Magazine's Whiz Kid list of the five youngest CEOs of the Best small Companies in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Dirk appeared on the Dylan Ratigan
Dylan Ratigan
Dylan Jason Ratigan is an American television host primarily covering financial markets, the global economy, and politics. He is host of The Dylan Ratigan Show which airs weekday afternoons on MSNBC. He is also a frequent contributor on The Huffington Post.- Early life :Ratigan was born in the...
show on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
in September 2010 and in January 2011 Gates was featured in a Kym McNicholas segment on Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
TV. He has also given countless speeches and presentations on Wi-Fi including the keynote address at Interop
Interop
Interop is an annual trade fair for information technology organised by UBM TechWeb. It takes place at four different locations at various times of the year: Mumbai , New York , Tokyo, and Las Vegas...
New York 2010. Gates has been a member of the CSUN Foundation Board, has served as Chairman of the Viewpoint School
Viewpoint School
Viewpoint School is a private, nondenominational, nonprofit day school, located in Calabasas, California. It is a coeducational school with students enrolled from Kindergarten through Grade Twelve...
Board of Trustees, and is also a member of the Pepperdine Board of Visitors.
In 1997 Dirk Gates donated $1 million (apiece) of his personal funds to CSUN and Pepperdine University to express his gratitude for the knowledge he acquired during his schooling.
Personal life
Gates is an avid member of the high-power rocketry community, frequently flying large model rocketModel rocket
A model rocket is a small rocket that is commonly advertised as being able to be launched by anybody, to, in general, low altitudes and recovered by a variety of means....
s in California and Nevada. To facilitate his hobby, Gates started a side company, Gates Brothers Rocketry, with his brother, Erik Gates. The duo appeared on several episodes of the popular Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
TV series MythBusters
MythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
that involved rocketry, including the pilot episode.
Sources
- http://www.csun.edu/ua/foundation/volunteerboard.html
- http://www.csun.edu/ua/foundation/volunteerboard.html
- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_March_4/ai_83525391
- http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=510257
- http://www.csun.edu/ua/foundation/volunteerboard.html
- http://www.csun.edu/~hfoao102/press_releases/summer97/gates.html
- http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ALUMNUS+ENRICHES+CSUN+WITH+GIFT%3B+ENTREPRENEUR+WILL+DONATE+$1...-a083869790
- http://www.gbrocketry.com