Mike Splinter to Receive 2013 SIA Robert N. Noyce Award

Applied Materials, Inc. announced that Mike Splinter, chairman and chief executive officer of Applied Materials, Inc., will receive the 2013 Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) Robert N. Noyce Award for his outstanding achievement and leadership in support of the U.S. semiconductor industry.

The award is considered to be the industry’s highest honor and celebrates the memory of Robert Noyce, co-inventor of the integrated circuit and co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor, Intel Corporation and the SIA. Dr. Noyce was a visionary, entrepreneur and industry statesman whose work propelled a technological revolution and inspired generations of scientists and engineers. The award will be presented at the annual SIA Award Dinner to be held on November 7, 2013.

“The Robert N. Noyce Award recognizes exceptional leadership within our industry and nominations come from an elite group of leaders, SIA’s Board of Directors and members,” said Brian Toohey, president and CEO, SIA. “Our Board carefully considers and votes on the nominees based on a number of criteria, including overall contributions to the U.S. semiconductor industry, leadership and outstanding innovation. This year, it is our pleasure to award Mike Splinter with the industry’s highest honor. Mike is an innovator, a leader and a steadfast champion for our industry and we look forward to formally recognizing him at SIA’s Annual Award Dinner in November.”

Splinter built his first transistor at the age of 18 and is a 40-year veteran of the semiconductor industry. He was named president and CEO of Applied Materials and a member of its board of directors in 2003, and became chairman of the board in 2009. Under his leadership, Applied has set new company records for revenue and profits and remains an innovation powerhouse. With a portfolio of more than 10,000 patents, Applied is a key supplier of technologies that help customers build the advanced microchips and displays essential to today’s top-selling electronic devices. Before joining Applied, Splinter was a senior executive at Intel Corporation, leading both the Technology and Manufacturing Group and the sales and marketing organization during his 20-year tenure.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award and join a celebrated group of innovators whose accomplishments shaped the semiconductor industry,” said Splinter. “Semiconductor technology has had a transformative impact on almost every form of human activity. As the world goes mobile, the pace of innovation continues to accelerate and the opportunities for our industry have never been greater.”

Splinter is an advocate for science, technology, engineering and math education. He serves on a number of national and international public policy bodies, and supports local community education and other philanthropic initiatives in his leadership role with the Applied Materials Foundation. Under his direction, Applied has remained a standard bearer for corporate social responsibility, regularly ranking among the most philanthropic corporations headquartered in Silicon Valley.

Splinter began his career at Rockwell International where he managed the company’s Semiconductor Fabrication Operations. He earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin.