InLight Communications Appoints Tobak President & CEO; Hires Industry Veteran To Lead Growth in MEMS-based Optical Switch Subsystems.Business Editors & High-Tech Writers FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2001 InLight Communications, Inc. today announced the company has appointed technology industry veteran Steve Tobak to the post of president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . Tobak will lead the company's charge into the optical switch market based on its five-year heritage as a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) Tiny mechanical devices that are built onto semiconductor chips and are measured in micrometers. In the research labs since the 1980s, MEMS devices began to materialize as commercial products in the mid-1990s. ) developer and manufacturer. The company plans to deliver optical switch subsystems to telecom and network equipment makers to meet the growing demand for scalable, high-bandwidth optical networks. All-optical switches use tiny movable MEMS-fabricated mirrors that allow light to switch from fiber to fiber without being converted to much slower electrical signals, resulting in lower system cost and higher bandwidth communications. Over the past year, InLight Communications has complemented its MEMS design and manufacturing expertise with critical talent in optics, packaging and systems engineering. Tobak is expected to complete the management team and position the company for significant expansion. "Steve brings to InLight Communications the unique blend of talent, experience and leadership qualities we have been looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. to take our company to the next level," said Teddy Shalon, chairman, InLight Communications. "Steve's two decades of experience advancing semiconductor technology in the computer and communications markets will provide critical insight and direction to help drive the adoption of all-optical switches. He has what it takes to establish InLight Communications as a leader in this fast-paced, high-growth market." According to Tobak, "InLight Communications has amassed the technology, know-how and engineering team to develop and deliver differentiated next-generation products in a very hot space. I'm proud to lead such a talented team and excited to work with such an esteemed group of investors." Tobak, 44, is a veteran of the semiconductor industry with an extensive technical, marketing and sales background and 10 years of executive management experience. He has built his reputation by predicting market trends, listening to the needs of customers and consistently executing to deliver results. During his 21-year career, Tobak has successfully helped early-stage companies grow into established, public companies, and has helped to grow and reposition mid-sized and Fortune 1,000 companies. Most recently, Tobak was senior vice president, marketing and sales at Tessera tessera: see mosaic. Technologies, a semiconductor intellectual property company. Before Tessera, he was National Semiconductor's vice president, corporate marketing and communications. Before joining National, Tobak was vice president of corporate and channel marketing at microprocessor manufacturer Cyrix. He previously held various executive and management positions in marketing, sales and engineering at OPTi, Stac Electronics, NEC (NEC Corporation, Tokyo, www.nec.com, www.necus.com) An electronics conglomerate known in the U.S. for its monitors. In Japan, it had the lion's share of the PC market until the late 1990s (see PC 98). NEC was founded in Tokyo in 1899 as Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. Electronics and Texas Instruments. Tobak holds a master of science degree in electrical engineering and a bachelor of science Noun 1. Bachelor of Science - a bachelor's degree in science BS, SB bachelor's degree, baccalaureate - an academic degree conferred on someone who has successfully completed undergraduate studies degree in physics from the State University of New York (body) State University of New York - (SUNY) The public university system of New York State, USA, with campuses throughout the state. , Stony Brook. About InLight Communications Inc. Founded in 1995, InLight Communications develops and manufactures MEMS-based optical switch subsystems for the manufacturers of telecom and network equipment. The company raised $14 million in 2000, led by venture capital firms Name Location Founding date Managing Partners/Directors Specialty Capital managed 5AM Ventures Menlo Park, CA; Waltham, MA 2002 John Diekman, PhD (managing partner), Scott Rocklage, PhD (managing partner), Andrew Schwab (managing partner) life sciences $200M [1] Jerusalem Venture Partners and Worldview world·view n. In both senses also called Weltanschauung. 1. The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group. Technology Partners, to fund its repositioning from a MEMS developer to a world-class manufacturer of MEMS-based optical subsystems. The privately held company privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. is based in Fremont, California, near the heart of Silicon Valley. |
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