Technology >> CEO Interviews >> September 10, 2001
Edward J. Richardson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Richardson Electronics, Ltd. He has held these positions since October
1983, when the company went public. Over this period, the company's
sales increased from $34 million to over $400 million in FY2000,
expanded to every corner of the globe and set the standard for providing
engineered solutions in its five highly focused strategic business
units: RF & Wireless Communications Group, Industrial Power Group,
Medical Systems Group, Display Systems Group and Security Systems Group.
Mr. Richardson joined the company in 1961, at which time there were
three employees and annual sales of $53,000, as a small family-owned
business. Mr. Richardson worked in all phases of the operation ' from
packaging and shipping products to developing relationships with vendors
and establishing marketing strategies. Mr. Richardson was made Vice
President and elected to the Board of Directors in 1965, and promoted to
President in 1974. Mr. Richardson was actively involved in the company's
first overseas expansion in 1982 with the formation of Richardson
Electronics (Europe) Ltd., a UK-based company. In 1989, he oversaw the
opening of the company's offices in Tokyo, Munich and Montreal.
Throughout the 1990s, Mr. Richardson guided the company's strategic
growth around other parts of the world, launching new Richardson sites
in Brazil, Taiwan, Holland, Australia, China, Thailand, South Korea,
Colombia and Turkey. Most recently, Mr. Richardson guided the company's
transformation from a product-driven company to a market-focused
organization. Today, Richardson provides value-added engineered
solutions to its customers, from small businesses to Fortune 100
companies, through product manufacturing, systems integration, prototype
design and assembly, testing and logistics. Mr. Richardson has a deep
commitment to civic and environmental issues. He established the
Richardson Wildlife Foundation, located on 1,800 acres of land in Lee
County, Illinois. The Foundation is committed to habitat restoration and
development, conservation education and research. The Richardson
Wildlife Foundation also is a sponsor of the Boy Scouts of America.
Furthermore, Mr. Richardson is an active supporter of the Brookfield
Zoo, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Ana Roque de
Duprey Elementary School and many other charitable organizations. Profile
Electronics?
Mr. Richardson: Years ago, Richardson Electronics started in business in
the trailing edge of electronics
