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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — U.S. semiconductor maker Ramtron International Corporation (Nasdaq: RMTR), a leading developer and supplier of ferroelectric-based low-power memory and integrated semiconductor products, today announced that effective January 24, 2011, Ramtron’s Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Ramtron CEO, Bill Staunton. Eric A. Balzer, Ramtron’s current CFO and a member of the company’s board, has been named CEO. Mr. Balzer will retain the title and responsibilities of CFO until a replacement is named. The Board has initiated a search for a new chief financial officer.
“Bill has been instrumental in commercializing Ramtron’s ferroelectric memory technology and moving Ramtron from its pre-commercial stage to a growing semiconductor product company. Looking toward the future, we are eager to tap Eric’s vast operational and financial experience to lead Ramtron’s next phase of product innovation and growth.”
“On behalf of Ramtron’s entire board, I would like to thank Bill for his outstanding contribution to Ramtron since he joined the company in 2001,” said Ramtron Chairman, William Howard. “Bill has been instrumental in commercializing Ramtron’s ferroelectric memory technology and moving Ramtron from its pre-commercial stage to a growing semiconductor product company. Looking toward the future, we are eager to tap Eric’s vast operational and financial experience to lead Ramtron’s next phase of product innovation and growth.”
“I enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to lead Ramtron to its future growth and profitability,” said Eric Balzer, Ramtron’s CEO. “Among my top priorities at Ramtron will be to drive the completion of our foundry transition while I work to optimize Ramtron’s operation for best-in-class product design, development and delivery with superior financial performance.”
Mr. Balzer, 62, became Ramtron’s CFO in 2004 and has been a director of Ramtron since 1998. He also served on Ramtron's audit committee from 1999 to 2004. Prior to his tenure at Ramtron, Mr. Balzer served as senior vice president of operations for Advanced Energy Industries, Inc., which develops, manufactures and markets power conversion devices for the semiconductor equipment industry. Earlier, Mr. Balzer held operations and finance positions at IBM’s Corporate Systems Technology Division, VP of finance and administration for Lewis Energy, as well as accounting manager and internal auditor for Shell Oil. Mr. Balzer holds a bachelors’ degree in Finance from the University of Colorado.
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Great article. This exemplifies the true definition of Public Relations “making good works well known.” I've often recommended the tactic Ford mentions here to businesses who have “solution-based” sales reps in their channel. Our best conferences and training sessions included presentations from customers. Works like a charm.
Really good article! One of the biggest concerns for tech companies remains risk management, and the kind of cooperative agreements described here spread the risk. It's kinda like splitting the bill at dinner–divide it evenly over everyone, or weigh it toward the family of four vs the family of two. Either way, no one party gets stuck with the entire tab.
Thank you Barbara,
In the struggle find and engage customers, one of the greatest challenges for many small and medium-size brands is gaining awareness and credibility. Even some well recognized brands occasionally suffer from credibility problems or find that some of their products and services aren't adequately known. Teaming can overcome challenges for businesses at nearly every development stage.
Thanks Ford for such a good article and sharing your experience and thought with us. I find the section 'partying with the big guys' quite interesting as i did not know that PR can have a hugh impact in promoting hardcore technology. Another section that caught my attention was the 'culture clash' which emphasize to have a leader and folower even in co-op.
A good article discussing about the importance of people relationships that actually help the companies to grow. Cooperating with other companies plays an important role to promote the products effectively. It is crucial for different sub systems vendors to actually show their applications in well integrated and purposeful way. This will help in reaching the customers in faster manner.
Understanding the changing needs of the customer is something these companies should focus.
Great tips for effective marketing! Thanks for highlighting these smart marketing strategies. Partnership and Collaboration with customers is part of the PR needed to promote technology marketing.
Emerging companies that recognize the need to pool resources with established and recognized companies by developing symbiotic partnership to leverage both internal growth and external visibilty are bound to excel.
Partnerships plays an important role to promote the products effectively.Partnership is to drive market share or revenues by strengthening one or more of the elements of a marketing mix – be it price, distribution, promotion, branding, awareness, or technology/product.
In my opinion , the buying decisions in any company for any technology are not based upon how advanced or innovative the technology is. But these decisions are based upon what solution the technology offers to my problems. Hence it helps when the technolgy is marketed as a solution. Such approach gets more acceptance at corporate level and it becomes easier for the technocal guys to convince their management for the budget sanctions
Ford i hope you would have implemented all these technology marketing strategies, anyway a useful articel with full insight into effective marketing. Any company will be successfull when they promoto their products in a effective manner. You made a interesting point about the public relations in corporate world, where most of the companies aware it. And also parternship between the companies helps to increase the revenue and also in terms of technology.
In response to seel225's comment: Yes, the events in the article are directly from my professional experience. Glad you found the article useful.