It's Not Technology. It's the People That Make the Difference
Peter Singer, Editor-in-Chief -- Semiconductor International, 6/1/1999
When I finally "landed" the interview, the gentleman assured me that they had not developed any breakthrough new technologies. It was simply that they had good people and these people had worked especially hard. What? This was no good. Our readers wanted hard technology facts, not some feel-good people story. In the end, still convinced there was something they weren't telling me, I wrote a short news item with no mention of these supposedly hard working people.
Now (being much older and wiser of course) I've come to realize that it really is the people that make the difference. Sure, new technical developments are exciting to read about and make continued advances possible, but we must never forget that it is the efforts of individuals that truly drive this industry.
Perhaps the best example of this is Dr. Morris Chang, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Dr. Chang, who "retired" from Texas Instruments after a 25-year career, went on to forever change the semiconductor industry by successfully implementing the "pure-play" foundry concept. Since he started TSMC in 1984, Dr. Chang not only created an entirely new semiconductor business model, but he and his company have single-handedly helped hundreds of small fabless chip companies turn their designs into reality.
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"It's really the people who make things happen."
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I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the retirement of Don Swanson, Editorial Director of Semiconductor International and our sister publication, Electronic Packaging and Production (EP&P). Don, who first came to the magazine in 1983, has shared with us his wisdom and humor, and above all, his attention to quality. Best wishes, Don, for a happy and healthy retirement. You, like so many leaders in the industry, are what has made the difference.
Continuing Don's "quest for quality" will be our newly
appointed Managing Editor, Kim Kishbaugh. Kim will be overseeing day-to-day
editorial operations, working on special projects, building the content of our
news section and coordinating content between our publication and our website.
We think Kim, whose editorial background includes 13 years at the City News
Bureau of Chicago, will help "make the difference" in keeping you informed about
the semiconductor industry. 
