In 2011, a year in which the semiconductor industry slogged through miniscule growth and natural disasters ground business to a near halt, dozens of executives did yeoman work to keep their companies moving forward. Five whose efforts were especially noteworthy made the list of finalists for the first UBM Electronics Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Award for Executive of the Year.
Yasushi Akao of Renesas Electronics, Rich Beyer of Freescale Semiconductor, Robert Black Jr. of Juki, Warren East of ARM Holdings and Lip-Bu Tan of Cadence Design Systems stood apart in a crowded field by demonstrating a level of leadership, often in times of crisis, that helped their companies to succeed.
Initial candidates for the Executive of the Year ACE Award were nominated by various companies in the electronics industry. The list was narrowed down after evaluation by UBM Electronics' editors at EE Times and EDN, then further culled by a panel of judges to five finalists, selected for their leadership along with the technological and fiscal vision each brought to a company or business division during 2011.
The judges will select the winner based on achievements such as business growth, design wins and, most important, persistence in the face of obstacles. Although only one executive from the group of finalists will become the winner, all are deserving of recognition for a job well done in 2011. The ACE Awards ceremony will take place on March 27th at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, where we'll announce the winner of the Executive of the Year ACE Award.
-- Dylan McGrath Next: At Renesas Electronics, Akao demonstrates quiet resilience