Robert Palmer (computer businessman)
Encyclopedia
Robert B. Palmer is an American
businessman best known for his role as the last Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Digital Equipment Corporation
.
Palmer was one of the founders of Mostek Corporation
, which was founded in 1969 by former employees of Texas Instruments
. Mostek made logic, memory, and microprocessor chips. In 1980, United Technologies Corporation (UTC) acquired Mostek Corporation, and Palmer became Executive Vice President of Semiconductor Operations.
In 1985, Palmer joined Digital where he served in various executive positions until being appointed as Chief Executive Officer and President in October 1992, replacing founder Ken Olsen
. Prior to Palmer's appointment, Digital had reported its first quarterly loss ever in 1990 and a net loss for fiscal year 1991. Palmer undertook numerous restructurings, massive layoffs (more than 60,000 people), and plant closings in an effort to remain competitive. In 1993 Mitsubishi
agreed to manufacture Digital's new Alpha 21066. In 1994 Digital sold its Rdb
database software operations to Oracle Corporation
. The following year Digital and Raytheon
formed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement to upgrade the onboard computer of the US Navy's E-2C Hawkeye
aircraft.
In 1997, Digital sold its printing systems business to Virginia-based GENICOM
. That year Digital sued Intel, accusing it of using some of Digital's patented technology to develop the Pentium microprocessor
. Intel countersued, accusing Digital of violating 14 Intel patents. To settle the litigation, Digital sold its semiconductor
production operations to Intel in 1998. Digital also sold its networking business to Cabletron, and in June 1998 Compaq
paid approximately $9 billion to acquire Digital. As expected, Palmer stepped down. The company was completely absorbed into Compaq
.
In April 1999, Advanced Micro Devices
Inc. (AMD) held its annual general meeting and announced that they had decided to elect Robert Palmer to its board of directors.
Palmer has served on the boards of a number of other companies as well, such as Sematech, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Semiconductor Research Center, Cicada Semiconductor Inc. and NLine Corporation.
Palmer is also on the Board of Trustees of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research, a non-profit preventative medicine research and education organization.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman best known for his role as the last Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
.
Palmer was one of the founders of Mostek Corporation
Mostek
Mostek was an integrated circuit manufacturer, founded in 1969 by ex-employees of Texas Instruments. Initially their products were manufactured in Worcester, Massachusetts, however by 1974 most of its manufacturing was done in the Carrollton, Texas facility on Crosby Road...
, which was founded in 1969 by former employees of Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
. Mostek made logic, memory, and microprocessor chips. In 1980, United Technologies Corporation (UTC) acquired Mostek Corporation, and Palmer became Executive Vice President of Semiconductor Operations.
In 1985, Palmer joined Digital where he served in various executive positions until being appointed as Chief Executive Officer and President in October 1992, replacing founder Ken Olsen
Ken Olsen
Kenneth Harry Olsen was an American engineer who co-founded Digital Equipment Corporation in 1957 with colleague Harlan Anderson.-Background:...
. Prior to Palmer's appointment, Digital had reported its first quarterly loss ever in 1990 and a net loss for fiscal year 1991. Palmer undertook numerous restructurings, massive layoffs (more than 60,000 people), and plant closings in an effort to remain competitive. In 1993 Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
agreed to manufacture Digital's new Alpha 21066. In 1994 Digital sold its Rdb
Oracle Rdb
Rdb/VMS is a relational database management system for the Hewlett-Packard OpenVMS operating system. It was originally created by Digital Equipment Corporation in 1984 as part of the VMS Information Architecture, intended to be used for data storage and retrieval by high-level languages and/or...
database software operations to Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
. The following year Digital and Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
formed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement to upgrade the onboard computer of the US Navy's E-2C Hawkeye
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...
aircraft.
In 1997, Digital sold its printing systems business to Virginia-based GENICOM
GENICOM
From 1982 to 2003, GENICOM was a leading American manufacturer of computer printers, based in Chantilly, Virginia.-The GE years:In 1954, General Electric decided to decentralize the company into separate business units...
. That year Digital sued Intel, accusing it of using some of Digital's patented technology to develop the Pentium microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
. Intel countersued, accusing Digital of violating 14 Intel patents. To settle the litigation, Digital sold its semiconductor
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
production operations to Intel in 1998. Digital also sold its networking business to Cabletron, and in June 1998 Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
paid approximately $9 billion to acquire Digital. As expected, Palmer stepped down. The company was completely absorbed into Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
.
In April 1999, 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...
Inc. (AMD) held its annual general meeting and announced that they had decided to elect Robert Palmer to its board of directors.
Palmer has served on the boards of a number of other companies as well, such as Sematech, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Semiconductor Research Center, Cicada Semiconductor Inc. and NLine Corporation.
Palmer is also on the Board of Trustees of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research, a non-profit preventative medicine research and education organization.