Ruiz | Barnes | Caldwell | Claflin | Clegg | Eberhart | Palmer | Topfer

Hector de J. Ruiz, Ph.D.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Hector Ruiz is chairman and chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Dr. Ruiz joined AMD in January 2000 as president and chief operating officer, and was named chief executive officer in April 2002. He was appointed as chairman of the board in April 2004. Previously, Dr. Ruiz served as president of Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector. In his 22-year career with the technology firm, Dr. Ruiz held a variety of executive positions in the United States and overseas. He also worked at Texas Instruments in the company's research laboratories and manufacturing operations.

Born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, Dr. Ruiz earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas, Austin. He earned his doctorate in Electronics from Rice University in 1973. Dr. Ruiz is passionate about the role of technology in education and empowering the underprivileged. At the 2004 World Economic Forum in Davos, he announced AMD's 50x15 Initiative, a commitment to empower 50% of the world's population with basic Internet access by the year 2015.

Dr. Ruiz currently serves on the President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST). PCAST advises the President of the United States on issues related to technology, scientific research priorities, and math and science education. Dr. Ruiz also serves as chairman of the board of Spansion Inc., is a board member of the Eastman Kodak Company and the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), and serves on the Board of Trustees of Rice University.


Dr. W. Michael Barnes
W. Michael Barnes served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Rockwell International Corporation from 1991 until his retirement in 2001. Dr. Barnes joined Collins Radio Company in 1968 as a member of the corporate operations research staff in Dallas. Collins was acquired by Rockwell in 1971, and Dr. Barnes held various management positions for the next several decades. He was named a distinguished alumnus by the Texas A&M University College of Engineering in 1992, is a member of the Texas A&M University chancellor’s Century Council, and is on the university’s Engineering Advisory Board. In 1997, Dr. Barnes became a member of the Orange County Business Council and was also appointed to the governorship of Town Hall of Los Angeles.


John E. Caldwell
John E. Caldwell is President and Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of SMTC Corporation, an electronics manufacturing services company, headquartered in Toronto. Mr. Caldwell was a director of ATI Technologies Inc. until the completion of the acquisition of ATI by AMD in October 2006. He is also a director of Cognos Inc., a leader in business intelligence software; Faro Technologies Inc., a leader in three dimensional manufacturing measurement systems; IAMGOLD Corporation, a mid-tier gold mining, exploration and development company; Parmalat Canada, a private Canadian food company and Rothmans Inc., a Canadian tobacco company. From 2000 to 2001, he was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Geac Computer Corporation Limited, an ERP software company and from 1993 to 1999, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE Inc. the world leader in flight simulation and training systems.


Bruce L. Claflin
Mr. Claflin retired as president, chief executive officer, and a member of the board of directors of 3Com Corporation in early 2006. Prior to 3Com, he served as senior vice president and general manager, sales and marketing for Digital Equipment Corporation. Mr. Claflin also worked for 22 years at IBM, where he held various sales, marketing and management positions, including general manager of the PC Company's worldwide R&D, product and brand management, as well as president of PC Company Americas.


Frank Clegg
Frank Clegg is Corporate Chairman and Director of Navantis, Inc. He sits on the board of Indigo Books and Music Inc. and is heavily involved in numerous charitable foundations throughout Canada, including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). Mr. Clegg has played a leadership role in Canada’s technology sector and in the broader Canadian community for many years. He was the president of Microsoft Canada from 1991 to 1996. In 1996, he was appointed vice president of Microsoft’s Central U.S. and Canada Region, and was then re-appointed president of Microsoft Canada in 2000, where he remained until January 2005.


H. Paulett Eberhart
Until her retirement March 31, 2004, H. Paulett Eberhart, served as president, Americas at EDS. An employee of EDS since 1978, Eberhart previously served in a number of senior executive roles for the company, including senior vice president and president, solutions consulting; member, EDS Executive Operations Team and Investment Committee; senior vice president, information solutions, U.S.; senior vice president, finance. Eberhart holds a bachelor of science degree from Bowling Green University. Ms. Eberhart previously served on the board of directors of AT Kearney, a subsidiary of EDS. She also served as the chair of the political action committee at EDS and is a member of the Financial Executives Institute and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Ms. Eberhart also serves on the board of directors of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Solectron Corporation.


Robert B. Palmer
Mr. Palmer was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Equipment Corporation (Digital) from 1995 to 1998. Mr. Palmer was appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of Digital in October 1992. From 1985 to 1992, Mr. Palmer served in various executive positions at Digital. Before Digital, Mr. Palmer was Executive Vice President of Semiconductor Operations at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), joining UTC in 1980 when it acquired Mostek Corporation, where he was a member of the founding team in 1969. Mr. Palmer is on the Board of Directors of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research, a non-profit preventative medicine research and education organization.


Morton L. Topfer
Mr. Topfer is the Managing Director of Castletop Capital L.P., an investment firm that focuses on private equity and real estate investments. Before joining Castletop Capital in 2002, Mr. Topfer was Vice Chairman of Dell Computer Corporation, counselor to Dell's Chief Executive Officer and a member of Dell's office of the Chief Executive Officer. Before joining Dell in 1994, Mr. Topfer held various positions with Motorola, Inc., last serving as Corporate Executive Vice President and President of the Land Mobile Products Sector. Before joining Motorola in 1971, Mr. Topfer spent 11 years with RCA Laboratories in various research and development and management positions. Mr. Topfer serves on the Board of Directors of Measurement Specialties, Inc. and Staktek Holdings, Inc.


Board Observer

Dr. James D. Fleck O.C.
Dr. Fleck was Chairman of the Board of Directors of ATI Technologies Inc. until its acquisition by AMD in October 2006, and is a Director of Certicom Inc. He was the founder, Chairman and CEO of Fleck Manufacturing Inc. a manufacturer of power cords and wiring assemblies with plants in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.A. He was Chairman of Alias Research Inc., a 3D computer graphics software company, acquired by Silicon Graphics Inc. in 1995 and a Director of Promis Systems Corporation Limited acquired by PRI Automation in 2000. He is a member of the Chief Executives Organization and the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. He is Chairman of the Council for Business and the Arts in Canada. He holds a Doctorate in Finance from Harvard University and an LLD (Hon) from the University of Toronto. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997.