Jack Gifford (businessman)
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" F. Gifford was an American engineer and businessman best known as a founder and former CEO, President and Chairman of the Board of Maxim Integrated Products
, an analog semi-conductor company, located in Sunnyvale, California. He served as the company's CEO until his retirement in 2007.
(UCLA) on a baseball scholarship and wanted to play professionally. However, Gifford had married his high school sweetheart at age eighteen and realized he could not play baseball and support his wife and child. He graduated from UCLA with a BSEE degree in 1963.
Gifford's first job upon graduating from college was as a design engineer at Electronic Specialties in Los Angeles. He was soon recruited by Fairchild Semiconductor
, at the age of 24. At Fairchild, Gifford worked his way up from the lower management levels to become the company's first Director of Analog Products. In 1968, Gifford co-founded Advanced Micro Devices
and served as the company's Vice President of Marketing and Planning. Gifford left Advanced Micro Devices to begin a career in farming. Shortly after, he was persuaded to consult on a part-time basis at Intersil
in the analog division, while continuing his farming. Eventually, Gifford left farming to assume the full-time position as Vice President of the Analog Division and later CEO of Intersil
. At Intersil, Gifford was instrumental in the development of low power CMOS for analog applications, which became one of the largest analog IC markets in the world. Gifford is considered to be one of the "founding fathers" on the analog microchip industry.
In 1983, Gifford co-founded Maxim Integrated Products
and led the company as CEO and President for the next 24 years. He developed a culture of high expectations with an emphasis on innovation. At Maxim, he devised a list of thirteen principles, known as the Maxim Principles, to define the company's culture. By 2007, when Gifford retired as Maxim's Chairman, CEO and President, Maxim had over 10,000 employees and reported revenues over $2 Billion.
The Securities and Exchange Commission had been investigating the company for back-dating stock options since June 2006. A few months after Gifford retired, the CFO resigned and the company was delisted as it restated earnings for 2000 through 2005.
Gifford maintained a passion for baseball throughout his life. In 1994, he founded, sponsored and played for the Maxim Yankees, a semi-pro wood bat baseball team. He also supported several college baseball programs - Stanford, California, Santa Clara University
, San Jose State University
and UCLA. At UCLA, he funded and oversaw the construction of the Jack and Rhodine Gifford Hitting Facility, a 10500 square feet (975.5 m²) practice facility at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Married for nearly 49 years, Gifford had three daughters and eleven grandchildren. Gifford died unexpectedly on his 68th birthday of a heart attack
, in Kamuela, Hawaii.
Maxim Integrated Products
Maxim Integrated Products is a publicly traded company that designs, manufactures, and sells analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products. Maxim develops integrated circuits for the industrial, communications, consumer, and computing markets....
, an analog semi-conductor company, located in Sunnyvale, California. He served as the company's CEO until his retirement in 2007.
Life and career
Gifford was born in 1941 and graduated from Banning High School in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA) on a baseball scholarship and wanted to play professionally. However, Gifford had married his high school sweetheart at age eighteen and realized he could not play baseball and support his wife and child. He graduated from UCLA with a BSEE degree in 1963.
Gifford's first job upon graduating from college was as a design engineer at Electronic Specialties in Los Angeles. He was soon recruited by Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. is an American semiconductor company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1957, it was a pioneer in transistor and integrated circuit manufacturing...
, at the age of 24. At Fairchild, Gifford worked his way up from the lower management levels to become the company's first Director of Analog Products. In 1968, Gifford co-founded Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
and served as the company's Vice President of Marketing and Planning. Gifford left Advanced Micro Devices to begin a career in farming. Shortly after, he was persuaded to consult on a part-time basis at Intersil
Intersil
Intersil Corporation is an American company that specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of high-performance analog semiconductors for four high-growth markets — Communications, Computing, High End Consumer and Industrial.-Company history:...
in the analog division, while continuing his farming. Eventually, Gifford left farming to assume the full-time position as Vice President of the Analog Division and later CEO of Intersil
Intersil
Intersil Corporation is an American company that specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of high-performance analog semiconductors for four high-growth markets — Communications, Computing, High End Consumer and Industrial.-Company history:...
. At Intersil, Gifford was instrumental in the development of low power CMOS for analog applications, which became one of the largest analog IC markets in the world. Gifford is considered to be one of the "founding fathers" on the analog microchip industry.
In 1983, Gifford co-founded Maxim Integrated Products
Maxim Integrated Products
Maxim Integrated Products is a publicly traded company that designs, manufactures, and sells analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products. Maxim develops integrated circuits for the industrial, communications, consumer, and computing markets....
and led the company as CEO and President for the next 24 years. He developed a culture of high expectations with an emphasis on innovation. At Maxim, he devised a list of thirteen principles, known as the Maxim Principles, to define the company's culture. By 2007, when Gifford retired as Maxim's Chairman, CEO and President, Maxim had over 10,000 employees and reported revenues over $2 Billion.
The Securities and Exchange Commission had been investigating the company for back-dating stock options since June 2006. A few months after Gifford retired, the CFO resigned and the company was delisted as it restated earnings for 2000 through 2005.
Gifford maintained a passion for baseball throughout his life. In 1994, he founded, sponsored and played for the Maxim Yankees, a semi-pro wood bat baseball team. He also supported several college baseball programs - Stanford, California, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
, San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
and UCLA. At UCLA, he funded and oversaw the construction of the Jack and Rhodine Gifford Hitting Facility, a 10500 square feet (975.5 m²) practice facility at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Married for nearly 49 years, Gifford had three daughters and eleven grandchildren. Gifford died unexpectedly on his 68th birthday of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, in Kamuela, Hawaii.
Honors and awards
- 1988 - Nominated for the National Entrepreneur of the Year award by Arthur Young
- 1990 - Elected to the UCLA Baseball Hall of Fame
- 1991 - Named Alumnus of the Year of the UCLA College of Engineering
- 1992 - Commencement Speaker at the 1992 UCLA College of Engineering Graduation Ceremony
- 2001 - Named CEO of the Year by Electronic Business Magazine
- 2004 - Oldest player ever to participate in the National Baseball Congress World Series
- 2005 - Named America's Best Semiconductor Industry CEO by Institutional Investor Magazine
- 2007 - Commencement Speaker at the University of Hawaii, Hilo
- 2007 - Received the Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from the University of Hawaii, Hilo
- 2008 - Recipient of the Special Service Award from the Santa Clara County, Hot Stove Baseball Society
Further reading
- The Spirit of AMD by Jeffrey L. Rodengen ISBN 0-94590-3219
- The Making of Silicon Valley: A One Hundred Year Renaissance by Ward Winslow and John McLaughlin ISBN 0-96492-1707