By Sonya Kimble-Ellis
It’s no secret that Silicon Valley lacks diversity. Caucasian males constitute many of the engineers, venture capitalists and start-up founders in this technological hot-bed of innovation. According to a recent report by Mercury News, Hispanics and blacks compose a smaller share of the valley’s computer workers in 2008 than they did in 2000. Despite the statistics, however, there are still a handful of African-Americans making their mark in the techie capital of the world. Here, we highlight the contributions of four such innovators.
Dr. Mark E. Dean
Dr. Mark E. Dean is heralded as one of the most influential engineers and inventors in America. His contribution to the development and enhancement to personal computers won him an induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. An IBM Fellow, Dean has worked at the company since 1980 and holds three of their nine PC patents. “I’m crazy about technology,” he said. “I have a vivid imagination. To me, anything you can imagine is possible. I’m not afraid to try.”
He is currently the VP of IBM’s Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California as well as their Senior Location Executive for Silicon Valley, his track record speaks for itself. While at the company, Dean led the team that built a gigahertz chip, which did a billion calculations per second. His other developments enabled computers to communicate with external devices like printers, disc drives, keyboards, modems and speakers.
The innovations are known as the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA). As chief engineer, he spearheaded a project that allowed computers to be compatible with high-performance software. Dean also worked on IBM’s ground-breaking E-Tablet, a hand-held device with the same capabilities as a desktop. He presently oversees more than 400 IBM engineers and scientists.
John W. Thompson
For ten years, John W. Thompson served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Symantec. Founded in 1982, the company is one of the world’s largest software firms. Symantec provides small businesses and corporations with storage and systems management solutions and security for their information technology. Although Thompson retired in 2008, he remains the Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. During his tenure, he was credited with helping to guide Symantec into a leadership role in its industry. He aided in diversifying their customer base and significantly increased the firm’s revenue.
Thompson guided Symantec’s transformation from a consumer software developer to a worldwide leader in IT security solutions for both individuals and corporations. At the time of his retirement, Thompson said, “I am proud of our team’s accomplishments over the past 10 years as we’ve transformed the company from a consumer software publisher to the leader in Internet security, data protection and storage management.”
Thompson has served as the chair of the Silicon Valley Blue Ribbon Task Force on Aviation Security and Technology. The task force was designed to identify and evaluate technology-based solutions that improve the efficiency and security of aviation. Before working at Symantec, Thompson held senior executive positions in software development, marketing and sales at IBM, where he worked for 28 years.
Michael Seibel
The Internet has made news, entertainment and information accessible at the blink of an eye. For his part in the phenomenon, Michael Seibel, CEO and co-founder of Justin.tv, helped create a Web site that has taken live streaming to new heights. The idea began in 2006 after Seibel’s good friend Justin Kan decided to live stream his life through a camera fitted into his baseball cap. The idea caught on and the site currently has a network of channels that allow people to stream live videos of events and activities. “It’s a far cry from when it was just Justin,” Seibel said in an article on Inc.com. “We have the most used live video system in existence.”
At 26, he is one of the youngest CEOs of a company in Silicon Valley. His workload includes overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations, its business development, investor relations and finance strategies. During Michael’s reign as CEO, Justin.tv has attracted over 30 million visitors monthly and is now one of the largest live video sites on the Internet. Broadcasters on the site have included Stephon Marbury, The Jonas Brothers and Representative Ron Paul. Justin.tv builds its revenue through advertising and a $9.99 monthly fee for broadcasters who show live videos without any advertisements. Before signing on at Justin.tv, Michael was the Finance Director for Kweisi Mfume’s U.S. Senate campaign. While there, he led online and print fundraising efforts for the NAACP’s former Director.
Roy L. Clay
Roy L. Clay, Sr. is a notable figure in the world of technology. As early as the 1970s, he was tapped as a computer consultant for then start-ups such as Intel and Compaq. An inductee in the Silicon Valley Engineering Council’s Hall of Fame, he was instrumental in the development of Hewlett-Packard’s computer division. He developed the software for the company’s 2116 computer and served as the Director for the initial HP Research and Development Computer Group. These days, he is the CEO of ROD-L Electronics, a company he founded in 1977. Clay’s firm specializes in electrical product safety equipment and testing. The company received the Consumer Product Safety Award for its innovations, which have been used internationally.
ROD-L Electronics is located in Menlo Park, CA. Clay has been acknowledged for his community service. He became the first African American to serve as Councilman and Vice Mayor of Palo Alto during the 1970s. His credo to young people: “Hang in there and take advantage of the opportunities that are coming in the new millennium. Our efforts will undoubtedly bring about a lessening of the digital divide by training people for a new high-tech future.”
