People in the News: IP analyst joins ISS as marketing chief; Robison named chairman of startup Alchemy; Silterra strengthens sales team; other executive moves

AUSTIN, Tex. -- Targeting the Internet edge device market, fabless semiconductor startup Alchemy Semiconductor Inc. here has named semiconductor industry veteran Shane Robison as chairman of its board of directors.

Robison left Cadence Design Systems last year to become president of Internet technology and development for AT&T Labs in Menlo Park, Calif. (see Dec. 15, 1999 story). In this position, Robison is responsible for the architecture, planning and development of AT&T's Internet services.

Robison's leadership on the board will provide Alchemy with crucial market perspective and insights into next-generation Internet applications such as universal messaging, wireless access, and e-commerce security, said Eric Broockman, president and CEO of Alchemy Semiconductor, which was formerly part of Cadence and spun off this month as a fabless semiconductor company (see May 1 story).

Silterra strengthens sales team

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Malaysian semiconductor foundry Silterra Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is seeking to expand its presence in the Southwest region of the United States with the appointment of Mark Murrietta as Southwest senior sales account manager.

In addition to servicing Silterra's clients in the Southwestern U.S., Murrietta will also be responsible for designing, negotiating and implementing investment and manufacturing agreements on Silterra's behalf. Silterra is headquartered in Kulim, Malaysia, with sales and marketing efforts centered in Sunnyvale.

Prior to joining Silterra, Murrietta was a senior account manager for Chartered Semiconductor Ltd., the Singapore-based foundry, where he was responsible f or sales to fabless semiconductor manufacturers, integrated device manufacturers, and systems manufacturers in the Southwest U.S. region. He is credited with increasing his regional sales by 450% in less than three years with Chartered.

With more than 17 years in the semiconductor industry, Murrietta has also held various managerial and technical positions with Catalyst Semiconductor, Sony Electronics, and Toshiba America.

Microcosm adds former Fortune 500 CFO to ranks

CARY, N.C. -- Microcosm Technologies Inc. here has appointed Glenn E. Harder as itsnew executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Harder, who was previously executive vice president and chief financial officer for Carolina Power and Light Co., will assume responsibility for all financial, investor relations, human relations, and legal matters of Microcosm, which specializes in micro-electromechamical systems (MEMS).

He will report directly to Microcosm president and CEO Michael Jamiolkowski.< /b> Harder will be charged with developing systems and infrastructure to extend Microcosm's business model and support continued growth. Microcosm has a number of research projects underway in MEMS and has begun a manufacturing partnership program (see May 19story).

In 1999, Harder received the CFO Excellence Award from CFO magazine and Arthur Anderson for leading a number of technology and cost improvement initiatives for Carolina Power and Light, a Fortune 500 company.