OC 50: TECHNOLOGY

Orange County Business Journal, Apr 28-May 4, 2008

Earned honorary title of datuk, given by king of Malaysia, while working for Western Digital's operations in Southeast Asia.

Named president, COO in 2006. Senior VP, worldwide operations, 2000 to 2005.

Joined board of Pasadena's Jacobs Engineering this year.

Earned bachelor's in mechanical engineering from University College, Dublin.

-Sarah Tolkoff

DWIGHT WILLIAM DECKER

Chairman, (onexani Sysiems Inc.

Born in Brandon, Manitoba,

March 18, 1950

Lives in Newport Beach (Back Bay)

DAVID SCOTTERCER

Chief executive, Conexant Systems Inc.

Age 56

Lives in Los Altos

Decker longtime leader turned chairman. Mercer thrust into chief executive's spot earlier this month.

Decker semi-retired, spending time at moderate GOP group New Majority, tech booster group Octane. Chairman, San Jose-based trade group Fabless Semiconductor Association.

Mercer replaced Dan Artusi, chief executive for past nine months, said to have been ousted by board. Artusi reportedly clashed with directors over pace, scope of restructuring. Cut some 700 jobs in U.S., India and China, reined in expenses, halted investment in chip businesses that weren't profitable or growing. Operations broke even in December quarter.

Wall Street disappointed with Artusi's departure.

Mercer a Conexant director since 2003, will continue to have seat on board. Didn't pick up Artusi's former president title, which went to worldwide sales VP Christian Scherp.

Has challenge on hands fixing Conexant, which analysts say needs to slim down, narrow product focus. Company makes chips for networking, fax modems, set-top boxes, video, audio. Yearly sales of about $800 million.

Chairman, Adaptec, where Mercer served as chief executive for a few months in 2005, Director, Palm, Polycom, Smart Modular Technologies.

Spent eight years starting in late 1990s at Western Digital, including as executive VP, CFO. Financial stints at TeraLogic, Dell, LSI.

Started career as accountant with what's now PricewaterhouseCoopers. Accounting bachelor's, Cal Poly Pomona.

Collects sports cars, art.

Decker taking second stab at retirement. Previously led company as chip arm of then-defense contractor Rockwell. Led 1999 spinoff. Rode tech boom, crash.

Tried to step back earlier this decade. Returned in 2005 after botched combination with New Jersey's GlobespanVirata in 2004.

Reworked company earlier this decade, selling off businesses, spinning off Mindspeed Technologies, wireless chip unit as Skyworks Solutions. Chip plant split off as Jazz Semiconductor.

Big donor, particularly to UC Irvine. Member, former chair, UCI Chief Executive Round table, recruited 20-plus members.

Helped start Laguna Beach's Okapi Venture Capital, which raised $30 million to fund startups. Has tried to boost startups in OC through tech advisory group Octane, where he's a driving force.

Political affairs chair for New Majority, With wife, given to President Bush, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Campbell, Ed Royce, fellow OC 50er Loretta Sanchez.

This year contributed to Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney.