P
Prevailing over Technolog
Guest
Happy birthday, Bernie! We miss you!
Bernie (V. for Victory) Vonderschmitt was born this day back on
October 14, 1923. Many FPGA users may not recognize the name anymore
but those of us who fortunate enough to have worked with this
remarkable human being still fondly remember him.
Who was he? Bernie was one of the founders of Xilinx, Inc. and helped
shape the early company and its culture and ultimately the
semiconductor industry.
In an era when newspapers are filled with stories of business
failures, Bernie was a beacon and practitioner of free-market
principles. He started his career in engineering and science and
then, much later in life, became a well-respected business leader--
certainly the gentleman of the electronics industry. During his long
life, Bernie helped pioneer a variety of technologies including color
television at RCA, commercialization of CMOS logic, co-founding the
first FPGA company, and developing the fabless semiconductor business
model. Most people would be considered successful with just one such
accomplishment. Then again, Bernie waited until age 58 to pursue his
MBA and to age 60 to co-found Xilinx.
Bernie's influence at Xilinx was obvious and legendary. His
organization chart put customers at the top, in the most important
position, and the board and the CEO at the bottom. Bernie's intellect
was detailed and data driven. After an hours long meeting filled with
detailed spreadsheets and tedious presentation foils (it was before
the PowerPoint era), Bernie asked the presenter for the source
material because he wanted more detail. On business matters, Bernie
was infamously frugal. I think he knew the serial number of every
dollar spent and parted with company money like beloved children.
Despite his frugal reputation, Bernie was personally very generous,
funding a variety of charitable projects. Despite his many talents,
Bernie was also quite humble and approachable. He freely gave credit
to others for the company's success. His management skills won him a
prized reputation with investors, who claimed of the early Xilinx that
Bernie delivered Vegas-style returns with insurance-company
predictability.
Yep, they certainly don't make em like that anymore!
"Xilinx Chairman and respected electronics industry veteran 'Bernie'
Vonderschmitt to retire"
http://www.xilinx.com/prs_rls/xil_corp/0341bernie.htm
"TV Pioneer Still Chipping Away"
http://articles.sfgate.com/1998-12-21/business/17739482_1_bernie-vonderschmitt-tv-sets-rca
"Engineering and Entrepreneurial Pioneer, Bernard 'Bernie'
Vonderschmitt Passes Away"
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/echoes/summer2004/vonderschmitt.htm
"Silicon Valley's septuagenarian"
http://business.highbeam.com/392705/article-1G1-14570814/silicon-valley-septuagenarian
Bernie Vonderschmitt Patents
http://www.google.com/patents?q=bernard+vonderschmitt&btnG=Search+Patents
Bernie (V. for Victory) Vonderschmitt was born this day back on
October 14, 1923. Many FPGA users may not recognize the name anymore
but those of us who fortunate enough to have worked with this
remarkable human being still fondly remember him.
Who was he? Bernie was one of the founders of Xilinx, Inc. and helped
shape the early company and its culture and ultimately the
semiconductor industry.
In an era when newspapers are filled with stories of business
failures, Bernie was a beacon and practitioner of free-market
principles. He started his career in engineering and science and
then, much later in life, became a well-respected business leader--
certainly the gentleman of the electronics industry. During his long
life, Bernie helped pioneer a variety of technologies including color
television at RCA, commercialization of CMOS logic, co-founding the
first FPGA company, and developing the fabless semiconductor business
model. Most people would be considered successful with just one such
accomplishment. Then again, Bernie waited until age 58 to pursue his
MBA and to age 60 to co-found Xilinx.
Bernie's influence at Xilinx was obvious and legendary. His
organization chart put customers at the top, in the most important
position, and the board and the CEO at the bottom. Bernie's intellect
was detailed and data driven. After an hours long meeting filled with
detailed spreadsheets and tedious presentation foils (it was before
the PowerPoint era), Bernie asked the presenter for the source
material because he wanted more detail. On business matters, Bernie
was infamously frugal. I think he knew the serial number of every
dollar spent and parted with company money like beloved children.
Despite his frugal reputation, Bernie was personally very generous,
funding a variety of charitable projects. Despite his many talents,
Bernie was also quite humble and approachable. He freely gave credit
to others for the company's success. His management skills won him a
prized reputation with investors, who claimed of the early Xilinx that
Bernie delivered Vegas-style returns with insurance-company
predictability.
Yep, they certainly don't make em like that anymore!
"Xilinx Chairman and respected electronics industry veteran 'Bernie'
Vonderschmitt to retire"
http://www.xilinx.com/prs_rls/xil_corp/0341bernie.htm
"TV Pioneer Still Chipping Away"
http://articles.sfgate.com/1998-12-21/business/17739482_1_bernie-vonderschmitt-tv-sets-rca
"Engineering and Entrepreneurial Pioneer, Bernard 'Bernie'
Vonderschmitt Passes Away"
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/echoes/summer2004/vonderschmitt.htm
"Silicon Valley's septuagenarian"
http://business.highbeam.com/392705/article-1G1-14570814/silicon-valley-septuagenarian
Bernie Vonderschmitt Patents
http://www.google.com/patents?q=bernard+vonderschmitt&btnG=Search+Patents