Our Team
Mark Adams
President and Chief Executive Officer
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President and Chief Executive Officer
BIOGRAPHY
Mark Adams, our President and CEO, brings to SGH his extensive experience and expertise in leading technology companies with a clear vision and focus on execution. Whether at the helm of a major developer of LED light engine technology or the global leader of memory solutions, Mark’s management style is characterized by a team-first approach with an emphasis on results. His passion for sports growing up taught him the value of leadership and teamwork which has led to his focus on putting people first and emphasizing team collaboration at SGH.
Since joining SGH in 2020, he has set into motion its transformation toward a holding company with continuous investment in the long-term success of its businesses.
Mark’s previous companies include Lumileds, Micron Technology, Lexar Media, Creative Labs and NCR Corporation. He currently serves on the board of Cadence Design Systems and previously served on the board of Seagate Technology.
Mark holds a B.A. in Economics from Boston College and an MBA from Harvard University.
Jack Pacheco
Chief Operating Officer and President of Memory Solutions
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Chief Operating Officer and President of Memory Solutions
BIOGRAPHY
With extensive executive experience in corporate planning, capital structure, and systems functions as well as merger, acquisition integration, and IPOs, Jack Pacheco rejoined SMART as its senior vice president, chief operating and financial officer in 2011. He had previously held the position of SMART’s chief financial officer from 2004-2008, during which time he built a strong finance and systems organization that helped SMART grow into an industry-leading company. In addition to his financial responsibilities, Jack now oversees operations, information technology and human resources for SMART.
Previous to joining SMART in his current position, Jack served as CFO for Mirion Technologies. Earlier in his career, he held executive positions at Ignis Optics, Force Computers, and Solectron
Jack has an MBA from Golden Gate University (San Francisco, CA) and a B.S. in Business Administration from Washington State University (Pullman, WA).
Ken Rizvi
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
BIOGRAPHY
Ken Rizvi joined SMART Global Holdings, Inc. as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in February of 2021. Bringing a strong blend of international finance, accounting and strategy experience plus his years of financial leadership in the technology industry, he’s well-suited to lead SGH’s global finance organization.
Mr. Rizvi joined SGH from UTAC Holdings Ltd., a global semiconductor assembly and test services provider, where he served as the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to that, he held the CFO role at Isola Group and served as VP of Finance & Treasurer at Micron Technology. Mr. Rizvi has more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry with senior leadership roles at UTAC, Isola, Micron and ON Semiconductor.
He also served as an associate with Technology Crossover Ventures , a leading private equity and venture capital firm, and as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.
Mr. Rizvi holds an Executive MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Yale University.
Joe Clark
President of LED Solutions
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President of LED Solutions
BIOGRAPHY
Joe Clark, our President of LED Solutions, brings to SGH more than 25 years of experience in lighting and technology industries. He joined Cree LED in 1998 where he began his career as an R&D Engineer in LED Epitaxy. In the years following until 2017, Joe held various leadership roles, ultimately, ending as Head of LED R&D. Subsequently, he led the Board & Module business as Vice President of Integrated Lighting Solutions. Before Joe’s appointment to President, he led worldwide LED operations – including strategy and engineering – as Vice President of Global Operations.
Prior to Cree LED and SGH, Joe worked for Intel Corporation as a Characterization & Yield Engineer.
Joe holds a B.S. and M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University, as well as more than 12 patents related to LED lighting.
Anne Kuykendall
Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer
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Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer
BIOGRAPHY
Anne Kuykendall, SGH’s Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, brings over 20 years of experience spanning the realms of corporate law, securities, M&A, global equity, litigation, privacy, and human resources. As Chief Legal Officer, she heads SGH’s Legal, Compliance, and Risk Management functions. She appreciates SGH’s commitment to putting people first and acting with purpose and works each day to put these values into action.
Prior to joining SGH, Anne served as General Counsel and head of HR for MariaDB. She has also served in various legal leadership roles at DriveOn, Cloudera, and Cadence Design Systems.
Anne holds a B.A. in Human Biology and M.A. in Philosophy from Stanford University and received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
Dave Laurello
Intelligent Platform Solution Advisor
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Intelligent Platform Solution Advisor
BIOGRAPHY
Dave Laurello, Intelligent Platform Solutions (IPS) Advisor, has extensive experience leading technology companies. Most recently, Dave was the President of our IPS business where he played a critical role in integrating and establishing a strategic direction for growth across our compute solutions. Prior to SGH, Dave was the CEO of Stratus Technologies for over 20 years. David has been instrumental in the success at Stratus including its evolution from a market leader in processing technology to a leader in fault-tolerant and high-availability computing platforms for a broad range of industries.
Prior to SGH and Stratus, Dave served as vice president and general manager of Converged Network Solutions for Lucent Technologies where he managed the business unit while overseeing engineering, product management, and marketing. Laurello has also held other executive positions, including senior engineering management roles at Ascend Communications and Digital Equipment Corporation. Additionally, he sits on the advisory board of the Manning School of Business at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Dave holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts.
Pete Manca
President of Intelligent Platform Solutions
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President of Intelligent Platform Solutions
BIOGRAPHY
Pete Manca, our President of Intelligent Platform Solutions, has extensive experience building businesses that deliver high-performance solutions to enterprise customers. His work experience and engineering background help him bridge the gap between technology innovation and business outcomes. In his most recent role, he served as a Senior Vice President and General Manager at Dell Technologies, managing several large businesses, including Converged Solutions, OEM Solutions, and APEX, Dell’s end-to-end portfolio of cloud offerings, ranging from storage to high performance computing to AI services and solutions. Before joining Dell, Pete worked at Egenera, Inc., a leading provider of cloud computing solutions, where he served as General Manager, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President of Engineering, and ultimately President and CEO.
Pete holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Valerie Sassani
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
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Vice President of Marketing and Communications
BIOGRAPHY
Valerie Sassani, our Vice President of Marketing and Communications, has been elevating brands for over 20 years. Her expertise spans the realm of visual design and communications. At SGH, Valerie is responsible for the strategy and execution across the SGH brand and family of brands, media relations, global employee communications and programs, and corporate and digital marketing.
Prior to joining SGH, Valerie was a Senior Director at Lam Research, where she led the marketing and digital communications team, after holding both integral and leadership roles during her 19-year tenure with Lam. Her passion for marketing and communications stemmed from her early career in film production.
Valerie earned her B.A. in Film Production from San Francisco State University and her MBA from San Jose State University.
Michael Wellman
Chief Human Resources Officer
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Chief Human Resources Officer
BIOGRAPHY
Michael Wellman, our Chief Human Resources Officer, brings to SGH over two decades of experience and a passion for driving organizational success through engaging the hearts and minds of employees. As the CHRO, Michael leads our worldwide Human Resource organization, with a focus on creating and executing forward-thinking employee programs and creating a culture where people feel valued.
Prior to joining SGH, Michael held various leadership roles in Human Resources, including Chief People Officer at TTEC, Vice President Human Resources at WellCare Health Plans, and Chief Human Resources Officer at Sitel Corporation.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Mercy Hurst University.
Board of Directors
Penelope Herscher
Chair of the Board
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Chair of the Board
BIOGRAPHY
Penelope Herscher joined our board of directors in September 2021. Ms. Herscher has extensive experience in the technology sector as a member of public company boards, an executive, and an entrepreneur. Ms. Herscher currently serves as chair of the board of directors at Lumentum Holdings, Inc. and as a member of the board of directors of FORVIA SA and several private companies. Ms. Herscher previously served as a member of the board of directors of Embark Trucks, Inc. from 2022 to 2023, Verint Systems, Inc. from 2017 to 2021, PROS Holdings, Inc. from 2018 to 2021, and Rambus, Inc. from 2006 to 2018.
Previously, Ms. Herscher served as president and chief executive officer of FirstRain, Inc., an enterprise software company, from 2004 to 2015, and as executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. from 2002 to 2003. From 1996 to 2002, Ms. Herscher was president and chief executive officer of Simplex Solutions, Inc., taking the company public in 2001 and prior to its acquisition by Cadence in 2002.
Ms. Herscher holds a BA Hons, MA in Mathematics from Cambridge University in England.
Mark Adams
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
+Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
BIOGRAPHY
Mark Adams, our President and CEO, brings to SGH his extensive experience and expertise in leading technology companies with a clear vision and focus on execution. Whether at the helm of a major developer of LED light engine technology or the global leader of memory solutions, Mark’s management style is characterized by a team-first approach with an emphasis on results. His passion for sports growing up taught him the value of leadership and teamwork which has led to his focus on putting people first and emphasizing team collaboration at SGH.
Since joining SGH in 2020, he has set into motion its transformation toward a holding company with continuous investment in the long-term success of its businesses.
Mark’s previous companies include Lumileds, Micron Technology, Lexar Media, Creative Labs and NCR Corporation. He currently serves on the board of Cadence Design Systems and previously served on the board of Seagate Technology.
Mark holds a B.A. in Economics from Boston College and an MBA from Harvard University.
Randy Furr
Director
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Director
BIOGRAPHY
Randy Furr has served as a director since September 2017. Mr. Furr joined Bloom Energy in April 2015 and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer until his retirement on March 31, 2020. Prior to Bloom Energy, he served as Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Spansion Inc. from June 2009 to March 2015 when Spansion was acquired by Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. Mr. Furr has over 35 years of experience in the technology sector and is an experienced financial and operations executive. Mr. Furr also held senior executive positions as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Magellan Navigation, Inc. from August 2008 to June 2009, and as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Aliph, a consumer Bluetooth telephony device company, from April 2008 to August 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Furr was at Adobe Systems, Inc., where he served as Senior Vice President, Business Process Improvement from May 2007 to January 2008, as Senior Vice President and Interim Chief Information Officer from November 2006 to May 2007, and as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from May 2006 to November 2006. Before joining Adobe Systems, Inc., Mr. Furr spent 13 years at Sanmina Corporation, an electronics manufacturing services provider, where he served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1996 to 2005 and as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1992 to 1996. Mr. Furr served as a director of Sanmina Corporation from 1998 until 2005. Mr. Furr holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Bryan Ingram
Director
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Director
BIOGRAPHY
Bryan Ingram, has served as a director since October 2018. Mr. Ingram retired from Broadcom effective March 20, 2020. Mr. Ingram served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom’s Wireless Semiconductor Division (WSD) from November 2015 until November 3, 2019 and from 2007 to March 2013. As Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mr. Ingram oversaw at WSD the development, production, and marketing of RF components used in handsets and other communications devices. Mr. Ingram served as Chief Operating Officer of Avago Technologies from April 2013 until October 2015. In this role, he led the legacy Avago business units and operations. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Ingram was Vice President of WSD. Prior to the founding of Avago from the Agilent Semiconductor Products Group (SPG) in 2005, Mr. Ingram was Vice President and General Manager of the SPG Wireless Semiconductor Division. From 1986 to 1999, Mr. Ingram held various management positions at Hewlett Packard and Westinghouse. Mr. Ingram holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Sandeep Nayyar
Director
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Director
BIOGRAPHY
Sandeep Nayyar has served as a director since September 2014. Mr. Nayyar has been the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Power Integrations, Inc., a supplier of high-performance electronic components, from 2010 to the present. Prior to that, from 2001 to 2009, Mr. Nayyar served as the Vice President of Finance for Applied Biosystems, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of life sciences products. From 1990 to 2001, Mr. Nayyar served in various senior finance roles including Vice President, Finance at Quantum Corporation, a computer storage company. Mr. Nayyar was with Ernst & Young LLP, a public accounting firm, from 1986 to 1990, including service as an Audit Manager. Mr. Nayyar is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California and a Chartered Accountant in India and has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Delhi, India.
Mark Papermaster
Director
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Director
BIOGRAPHY
Mark Papermaster has served as a director at SGH since August 2022. He brings more than 35 years of engineering and technology industry experience to the Board. Mark currently serves as Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, Technology and Engineering, at Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (“AMD”), where he is responsible for technical direction and product development, including microprocessor design, I/O and memory, system-on-chip (SOC) methodology, and advanced research.
Prior to joining AMD in October 2011, Mark previously served as the leader of the Silicon Engineering Group at Cisco Systems, Inc.; Senior Vice President of Devices Hardware Engineering for iPod and iPhone at Apple, Inc.; and in multiple roles in technology and server development at IBM Corp.
Mark holds a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Vermont, respectively. He is a long-term member of the University of Texas Cockrell School of Engineering Advisory Board, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the CTO Forum Advisory Board, IEEE Industry Advisory Board and Global Semiconductor Alliance Board of Directors.
Mary G. Puma
Director
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Director
BIOGRAPHY
Mary G. Puma has served as a director at SGH since July 2023. Ms. Puma brings over 25 years of experience and expertise in the semiconductor industry to the Board. She previously served as president and chief executive officer of Axcelis Technologies, Inc., a publicly held company engaged in the supply of capital equipment for the semiconductor chip manufacturing industry, from 2002 to 2023. Prior to becoming CEO of Axcelis in 2002, Ms. Puma served as president and COO from 2000. In 1998, she was named general manager and vice president of the company’s predecessor, the Implant Systems Division of Eaton Corporation, a global diversified industrial manufacturer, after having joined in 1996 as general manager of Eaton’s Commercial Controls Division. Prior to Eaton, Ms. Puma spent 15 years in various marketing and general management positions at General Electric.
Ms. Puma has served as executive chairperson of the board of Axcelis since May 2023, and previously served as chairperson of the board from 2005 to 2015. She has served as a member of the boards of directors of Ciena Corporation, an American telecommunications networking equipment and software services supplier, since August 2023, and Allegro MicroSystems, Inc., a leader in power and sensing semiconductor solutions for motion control and energy-efficient systems, since October 2023, and has served as chairperson of the board of SEMI, a global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chain for the micro- and nano-electronics industries, since January 2023. Ms. Puma also served as a director of Nordson Corporation from 2001 to 2023.
Ms. Puma holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tufts University and a Master of Science degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Maximiliane Straub
Director
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Director
BIOGRAPHY
Maximiliane Straub has served as a director of SMART Global Holdings since April 2019. Ms. Straub has served with the Robert Bosch companies for over 26 years and currently serves as President Global Business Services Bosch, a position she has held since January 1, 2020. Ms. Straub also serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance, Controlling and Administration of Bosch North LLC, a position she has held since June 2010. Prior to joining the Robert Bosch companies, Ms. Straub held several financial positions within the semiconductor division of Siemens and Siemens/Matsushita. Ms. Straub serves on the Board of Directors of Inforum, a professional organization focused on creating strategic connections to help advance professional women. In 2010, 2015 and 2020, Ms. Straub was recognized by Automotive News as one of the “Top 100 Women in the Auto Industry.” She is a guest lecturer for the University of Michigan Ross School of Business program, “Ascending to the C-Suite: From Theory to Practice.” Ms. Straub served on the Boards of Directors of MTS Systems Corporation and Horizon Global Corporation and AQuantia. Ms. Straub’s educational degrees include Industriekauffrau IHK and an advanced business administration degree with thesis, Diplom-Betriebswirt from the University of Munich.