Walt Mathews, a Valley PR legend: Press and public relations fixture passes away at 68 - News

Electronic News, Feb 25, 2002 by Bernard Levine

Walter H. Mathews, a legend in Silicon Valley public relations and press circles who began his electronics career at Electronic News in 1959, died on Feb. 14. He was 68.

Mathews, co-founder of Positio Investor & Public Relations, originally known as Mathews & Clark Communications, died in his sleep at his home outside Sacramento, Calif., after a long battle with diabetes-related illness.

His stint at Electronic News took him from New York to San Francisco and Los Angeles. He later served as director of communications for the American Electronic Association, and eventually founded a high-tech PR agency in 1975 with Joseph P. Clark, which grew to include offices in the United States and Europe. Started primarily as a writing service, Mathews and Clark worked under subcontract to the Regis McKenna agency to promote the use of personal computers for then-fledgling Apple Computer Inc.

In 1976, Mathews and Clark became the public relations agency for Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) and the SEMICON trade shows, which it continued to represent around the world for more than 20 years. Mathews also helped launch Channel magazine (later Semiconductor Magazine), serving as editor-in-chief for more than 10 years.

In 1977, Applied Materials retained the agency, a relationship that lasted for almost 15 years. when Applied moved to take its PR functions in-house.

Mathews retired as CEO in 1999, handing the reins to Stew Chalmers, current chairman and CEO. "Walt's influence is still very much a part of Positio," Chalmers said. "As he built the agency he taught us to value the relationships we make and respect those whom our daily lives touch before everything else. He did this by living his ethics. While I miss my friend and a mentor deeply, his presence is still strongly felt at the agency. That is a part of Walt that continues, a living treasure that will be with me for a long time."

"Walt Mathews commanded a respect reserved only for industry statesmen, which he clearly was. But Walt was also a master at PR," said Dan Hutcheson, president of VLSI Research.

"The entire SEMI family is reflecting warmly on a gracious and articulate gentleman that contributed so much, both personally and professionally," said Stan Myers, president and CEO of SEMI.

Born in Dalhart, Texas, in 1933, Mathews graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, with a degree in journalism and broadcasting. He then served in the Army Pictorial Center in Long Island and later as an off-Broadway theater critic. Early in his career, Mathews was also a comedy writer in Los Angeles, as a team with Clark.

He is survived by his mother, Nina Mathews, and brothers Bill, Harry and Phil.

A memorial service is set for Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m. at Los Altos Lutheran Church, 460 S. El Monte Avenue (at the corner of Cuesta Drive), Los Alto, Calif.