Hector Ruiz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hector Ruiz
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| Born | December 25, 1945 |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin (BS, 1968; MS, 1970) Rice University (PhD, 1973) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Electrical engineering |
| Institutions | Texas Instruments Motorola AMD GlobalFoundries |
Hector de Jesus Ruiz Cardenas, born on December 25, 1945, is a well-known leader in the technology world. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Advanced Nanotechnology Solutions, Inc. He was also the former CEO and chairman of a big computer chip company called Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD).
Ruiz wrote a book called Slingshot: AMD's Fight To Free An Industry From The Ruthless Grip Of Intel. This book shares his important decision in 2005 to take legal action against Intel, a much larger rival company. The book also talks about his early life and the valuable lessons he learned from his family and teachers.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Hector Ruiz was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, a town in Mexico located near the border. When he was a teenager, he walked across the Mexico – United States border every day. He did this to attend high school in Eagle Pass, Texas.
He graduated from high school as the valedictorian, which means he was the top student in his class. This was amazing because he had only started learning English three years before. Ruiz then went on to study electrical engineering. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He received these in 1968 and 1970. Later, he earned his PhD from Rice University in 1973.
In 2012, the University of Texas honored Ruiz as a Distinguished Alumnus. This award is given to former students who have achieved great success. Other notable people who received this award include former First Lady Laura Bush.
Leading Technology Companies
Ruiz began his career at Texas Instruments, where he worked for six years. After that, he spent 22 years at Motorola. He rose through the ranks to become the president of Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector.
In 2000, Jerry Sanders, the founder of AMD, asked Ruiz to join AMD. Ruiz became the president and chief operating officer. He was chosen to lead the company after Sanders retired. Ruiz became AMD's CEO in 2002 and was named chairman of the board in 2004.
Big Decisions at AMD
Ruiz supported the decision for AMD to buy ATI. This purchase led to some financial challenges for AMD. Despite rumors, Ruiz remained CEO until July 18, 2008. He resigned after AMD reported its seventh quarter in a row of financial losses.
Even with these challenges, Ruiz helped AMD avoid serious trouble. An industry expert said Ruiz took AMD "off death watch." As CEO, he led AMD to make important technical breakthroughs. They also made progress in their competition against Intel. However, AMD continued to face financial losses during his time.
Creating GlobalFoundries
Analyst Rob Enderle praised Ruiz for his smart idea to separate AMD's manufacturing operations. This meant AMD would no longer have to pay for running chip factories. Instead, they could focus more on designing chips. Ruiz was key in making a deal with an Abu Dhabi government group. This group provided money for the new manufacturing company.
The New York Times reported that from 2003 to 2006, AMD made computer chips that many experts thought were better than Intel's. AMD leaders believed that Intel used financial agreements to prevent their chips from being widely used.
In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission settled several complaints against Intel. These complaints were about unfair competition. Intel agreed to the terms of the settlement. In 2009, AMD also settled its own legal complaint against Intel. Intel agreed to pay AMD $1.25 billion.
Building a Chip Plant
In February 2012, the Albany Times Union looked back at a big announcement from June 2006. Ruiz and then-New York Governor George Pataki announced that AMD, and later its spin-off GlobalFoundries, would build a very advanced chip factory. This news put the Capital Region of New York in the global technology spotlight. Governor Pataki said GlobalFoundries was expected to spend $7 billion. They would also hire 2,000 employees at the plant. This would create 9,000 additional jobs in the area.
Ruiz was named Chairman of AMD's spin-off company, GlobalFoundries, in March 2009. He later resigned from this role. This happened around the time reports suggested he had discussed AMD's spin-off plans with an investment manager before it was publicly announced. Ruiz has never been charged with any crime. He told MarketWatch that no government officials ever contacted him about it. He even offered to speak with investigators, but they never took him up on the offer. Ruiz strongly stated, "I strongly believe that I never have done anything wrong or inappropriate.”
Later Career and Recognition
In 2010, Ruiz traveled globally as an adviser to technology companies. He wrote a column in the Austin American-Statesman about Brazil's growing tech economy. He noted a new sense of confidence among Brazilian business and political leaders. He felt that Brazil's time to shine might finally be here.
In July 2010, EDCO Ventures, an organization focused on economic development, added Hector Ruiz to its board of directors.
Bloomberg News reported in June 2011 that Ruiz and another former AMD executive, Bharath Rangarajan, started a new consulting company called Bull Ventures. Their goal was to help businesses by sharing Ruiz's experience in leading strategy and deals at AMD.
In March 2013, Ruiz shared his thoughts on the computer chip industry again. He published a column in BusinessWeek titled, "AMD's Former CEO Has Advice for Intel's Next CEO."
In September 2015, the Mexican Consulate in Austin, Texas, honored Dr. Hector Ruiz with its Ohtli Award. This award recognizes people who have helped Mexican communities abroad.
Views on Immigration
Ruiz supports a legal way for undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens. He has also criticized efforts by people like Mark Zuckerberg to lobby for high-skilled immigration. Ruiz felt these efforts were too focused on a small group of people.
See also
In Spanish: Héctor de Jesús Ruiz para niños
