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AMD Pays Tribute To Gary Heerssen, Former Senior Vice President Of Corporate Manufacturing
—Leader’s Life and Legacy Honored through Endowment at Austin Community College and Donation to Austin Police Department—
AUSTIN, TX -- April 18, 2005 --AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the creation of the Gary Heerssen Memorial Scholarship in Electronics at Austin Community College (ACC) and a donation to the Austin Police Department (APD) for the purchase of technology equipment to honor the late Gary Heerssen, former senior vice president of corporate manufacturing.
“AMD lost a highly esteemed member of the executive team when Gary Heerssen passed away in December following a long, courageous battle with leukemia,” said Hector Ruiz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of AMD. “Gary truly exemplified AMD’s values and demonstrated distinctive leadership, generosity and compassion in all that he did, whether it was evolving AMD into a world-class manufacturing entity, or serving on the board of his favorite charity, the Elizabeth Ann Seton Fund. It is our privilege to honor his passion for education and technology through an endowed scholarship at ACC and a donation to the APD for the purchase of technology equipment.”
During a ceremony at Austin City Hall on April 14, where friends, co-workers and local leaders gathered to honor Gary’s memory, AMD announced the creation of the Heerssen Memorial Scholarship. AMD will provide $50,000 of initial seed money during the next two years and will work closely with ACC to raise an additional $100,000 through donations to fund the scholarship. The scholarship will help make Heerssen’s vision for accessible education possible by funding the cost of tuition, fees and books for two students in the ACC electronics program.
In addition, ceremony attendees witnessed AMD’s presentation of $20,000 to the Austin Police Department for the purchase of technology equipment to help ensure the effectiveness and the safety of officers involved in undercover operations. Shortly before he died, Gary planned to donate this gift to the APD because he believed technology should be used to improve quality of life in local communities.
Active in both the semiconductor manufacturing industry and community, Heerssen served as chair of the Semiconductor Executives Council, an industry coalition that defines the strategy for high-tech workforce development in the Austin area, as a member of the advisory committee of the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas, and on the boards of the Austin Symphony Orchestra and Elizabeth Ann Seton Fund. He was also a former member of the board of directors for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.
“Gary Heerssen was a true pioneer in the semiconductor manufacturing industry with a passion for manufacturing excellence and innovation,” said G. Dan Hutcheson, CEO, VLSI Research Inc. “He not only served as a champion for AMD’s manufacturing operations, but was truly an industry-wide champion who played an important role in positively shaping the direction of the semiconductor manufacturing industry.”
Friends, colleagues and business associates wishing to make a donation to the Gary Heerssen Memorial Scholarship fund can send contributions to Austin Community College Foundation, 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, TX 78752. AMD will match employee contributions to the scholarship through its employee giving program at www.easymatch.com/amd.
About AMD
AMD (NYSE:AMD) designs and produces innovative microprocessors, Flash memory devices and low-power processor solutions for the computer, communications and consumer electronics industries. AMD is dedicated to delivering standards-based, customer-focused solutions for technology users, ranging from enterprises and governments to individual consumers. For more information, visit www.amd.com.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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