Jim Kirkpatrick

San Diego Business Journal, Sept 10, 2007 by Liz Wiedemann

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A design engineer by trade, Jim Kirkpatrick is an electrical engineer by educational background.

In late 2000, Kirkpatrick took on a head engineering role at Santa Clara-based AirPrime, a small startup company, working out of its Carlsbad design center.

When headquarters moved from Santa Clara to Carlsbad for financial reasons in 2002, Kirkpatrick was unexpectedly offered the president and chief executive officer position.

"It was a huge undertaking for me, but I didn't want to risk losing the great team we'd worked so hard to build," said Kirkpatrick.

After a year in the role, a competitor began looking at AirPrime, and by the summer of 2003, Sierra Wireless Inc. had acquired the company, naming Kirkpatrick chief technology officer at the Carlsbad office of the Richmond, British Colombia, Canada-based company.

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY

Essential business philosophy: Pursue innovation relentlessly--the customer is waiting.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Know your customer and your discipline.

Guiding principles: Go with your instincts, and don't over-think the answer.

Yardsticks of success: Satisfied customers and long-term employees.

Goals yet to be achieved: Parachuting, traveling to Antarctica and Russia.

JUDGMENT CALLS

Best business decision: Entering a startup company with high risk (and) high reward.

Worst business decision: Left behind, like a bad putt--remembered, but not dwelled upon.

Toughest business decision: Selling our startup company.

Biggest missed opportunity: Buying Cisco Systems Inc. stock in March 1990.

Mentor: Mom.

Word that describes you: Leader.

TRUE CONFESSIONS

What you like best about your job: Technology exposure, travel, representing a great company with great employees.

What you like least about your job: Being away from home.

Pet peeves: Group-think, bad drivers, blowhards.

Most important lesson learned: The harder you work the luckier you get--at anything.

Person(s) most interested in meeting: Leonardo da Vinci, Carl F. Gauss, Albert Einstein, John E Kennedy, Ben Hogan, Robin Williams.

Three greatest passions: Math, golf, professional football.

First choice for a new career: Math teacher.

PREDILECTIONS

Favorite quote: "Uncorrelated data contains the most information," Solomon Golomb, University of Southern California.

Most influential book: "Prime Obsession," by John Derbyshire.

Favorite status symbol: None.

Favorite restaurant: Benihana.

Favorite place for business meetings: Golf course or a great restaurant.

Favorite vacation spot: Maul, Hawaii--so far.

Favorite way to spend time: Tinkering with computers, golfing, swimming with kids, anything with family.

RESUME

Name: Jim Kirkpatrick.

Company: Sierra Wireless Inc.

Title: Chief technology officer.

Education: Bachelor of Science, electrical engineering, Cal State Fresno, Master of Science, electrical engineering, and Master of electrical and electronic engineering, University of Southern California.

Birthplace: Merced.

Age: 44.

Current residence: Carlsbad.

Family: Wife, Patty; daughter, Sarah, 19; sons John, 16, and Grant, 10.