TECHNOLOGY

Orange County Business Journal, May 2-May 8, 2005 by Cruz, Sherri, Simons, Andrew

WILLIAM "BILL" RAYMOND COLLOPY JR.

Vice President, Southern California

Site Operations, Boeing Co. 's

Integrated Defense Systems;

Chairman, Sea Launch Co.

Born in Albuquerque, N.M., July 18, 1949

Lives in Newport Beach (Newport Bay)

Heading up Southern California comeback for Boeing.

Defense boom spurring major push in OC, particularly for Navy, Army programs in Anaheim, Huntington Beach. Military satellite business about to get liftoff after Air Force in March ended 20-month Boeing ban over trade secrets gleaned from Lockheed Martin. Air Force could split two-dozen satellite launches between Lockheed, Boeing. Launches could bring more than $100 million each.

Commercial Launch and Satellite Systems unit, which Collopy headed, closed two years ago amid corporate, telecom downturn. Heads Sea Launch (40% owned by Boeing), which has fared better in past year.

Long Beach-based Sea Launch lifted three satellites last year for DirecTV, others. Expects to launch five more by year's end.

Collopy oversees 12,230 OC workers in Anaheim, Cypress, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine. Boeing third largest employer here after Disney, UCI. Added more than 700 OC workers in 2004.

Bulk of hires working in Anaheim, where Boeing makes undersea vessels for Navy, oil companies. Others added at Huntington Beach, where work on Future Combat System-a super network for Army-is done.

Directed Boeing's state, local government relations team, urged reform of workers' compensation. Voicing support for Los Angeles Air Force Base, its missile center amid this year's base closures round.

Active member of the California Business Roundtable. Serves on California Chamber of Commerce board.

Reports to former OC exec James Albaugh, who moved to St. Louis in 2002 to head Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.

Previously was financial chief for Boeing Space and Communications group, responsible for M&A. Led team that bought Hughes Space and Communications in 2000 as part of satellite push.

From 1988 to 1998, was vice president, controller at Boeing North American Space Systems, former defense business of Rockwell International bought by Boeing in 1996.

Led financial, procurement activities for division, which included space shuttle, GPS, missile defense, advanced space efforts. Was the first business director of space shuttle program.

Got start in 1973 as financial analyst at Rockwell's Autonetics division in Anaheim. Held various management posts in Anaheim, Dallas. In 1980, assigned to Space Systems. Also was director of investment analysis for corporate offices in El Segundo.

Earned bachelor's in business from USC in 1972, business master's from USC year later.

Wife Mary Rose, two children. Son Bill, 26, graduate of UC Santa Barbara, manager at Worldwide Golf in Santa Ana. Daughter Amanda, 23, graduate of USC business school, in first year of law at Chapman University.

Hobbies include golfing, cycling, collecting, restoring antique motorcycles with son. Has two old British Triumphs, a Norton Commando. Bought first motorbike in London at age 19, had shipped here.

Member, Orange County Performing Arts Center board. Presented $2 million gift for center's expansion on Boeing's behalf. Mentors college graduates interested in aerospace.

-Sherri Cruz

DWIGHT WUJJAM DECKER

Chairman, CEO

Conexant Systems Inc.

Born in Brandon, Manitoba, March 18,1950

Lives in Newport Beach (Back Bay)

Back running-and trying to right-Conexant.

Took reins in November after nine months as chairman. Planned to step back after buying New Jersey's GlobespanVirata, headed by former Conexant prot�g� Armando Geday, and moving company HQ to New Jersey.

Pulled back in after two quarters of losses, botched integration. Company returned to Newport. Says he's "really energized" to be back at helm. Looking to chips for satellite TV boxes, DSL, wireless networking to revive sales.

Says to regain investor confidence, Conexant has to "show measurable, steady progress each and every quarter." Hopes to end losses, break even by year's end.

Part of cost cutting includes outsourcing with December buy of Paxonet, chip developer with India operation.

Decker's return is latest in long-running series of changes for Conexant, dating back to 1999 spinoff from Rockwell, which he led. Starting in 2002, set out on major reworking of company, selling off businesses, spinning off Mindspeed Technologies.

Still waiting on public debut of Newport's Jazz Semiconductor, Conexant's former chip plant. Conexant still owns 38% of Jazz, is big customer.

Contract extended through 2006. Involved in executive search for replacement.

Headed business when it was chip arm of Rockwell. Almost fired from Rockwell decade ago for insisting on shift away from making custom chips to producing modern chips, years before Internet entered mainstream.

Professorial, fiercely competitive, demanding.

Big donor, particularly to UCI. Key mover behind tech group Octane. Chair, UC Irvine Chief Executive Roundtable, recruited 20-plus members. Still involved but community endeavors on backburner for now. In January, handed over chairmanship of San Jose-based Fabless Semiconductor Association to Qualcomm's Sanjay Jha. Now vice chairman of trade group.