Intel's Former CEO (and First Hire) Andy Grove Dead at 79
The Verge reports the death at age 79 of former Intel CEO, Andy Grove, one of the best-known names in Silicon Valley, and in fact one of the people who are behind the fecund technological and business climate that made Silicon Valley a household name. Grove's professional life at Intel spanned five decades, beginning as a day-one, number-one hire, as director of engineering; he went on to serve as president, CEO, and chairman of the board, managing to write several books along the way; "Only the Paranoid Survive" is probably the best known. From The Verge's story: During Groves' tenure as CEO, Intel produced chips including the 386 and Pentium, which became name brands unto themselves and laid the groundwork for much of the personal computing era. "Andy approached corporate strategy and leadership in ways that continue to influence prominent thinkers and companies around the world," Intel Chairman Andy Bryant said in a statement. "He combined the analytic approach of a scientist with an ability to engage others in honest and deep conversation, which sustained Intel's success over a period that saw the rise of the personal computer, the Internet and Silicon Valley."
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When Andy Grove contracted prostate cancer, he used his research skills and his notoriety to significantly advance prostate cancer awareness - not just in regular media but in business journals - suddenly breaking the barriers to open and frank discussion about this killer disease amongst men.
The net result was that countless lives were saved because of him. RIP, Andy Grove.
I heard him speak once a long time ago. He was truly one of a very few, a more than capable engineer who could also manage and deal with management 'types'. I have been lucky in my career to work for a couple of that type, and I must say it was a rare pleasure to talk to someone who understood what you were doing, and could get up from behind their desk and likely go do your job as well as you could. That kind of personality seems to have a short shelf life past a certain point in management. I am sure he will be greatly missed.
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
Without the massive contributions from pioneers such as Andy Grove there is no silicon valley
Among the many quotes of Mr. Grove, I especially like:
" Leading by example trumps everything else "
" Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, Good companies survive them, Great companies are improved by them "
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !