David Jarmon
International Businessman : A Profile of David jarmon
International Businessman: A Profile of David Jarmon By Kai Jarmon
J
2
ets sound as the plane
Jarmon, I asked if he believed
throughout Jarmon’s journey
begins to taxi. Jarmon's
international business has in-
of business.
fingers quickly dart key to key
creased business for smaller
been a combination of a long
across a computer keyboard,
companies. Jarmon responded
time customer, co-worker, and
squeezing in one last email.
commenting “Absolutely. Also
friend of Mr. Jarmon for mul-
The flight attendant walks by
I think the world has become a
tiple years. When Tewell was
requesting Mr. Jarmon stow
much smaller place. My whole
asked what skills Jarmon pos-
his computer as the plane is
career has been focused on
sesses that makes him such
Rick Tewell has
about to take off.
a
This is the life of
ternational
David Jarmon, an
nessman,
international busi-
responded stating
nessman. Mr. Jar-
“You
mon is the Senior
somebody
Vice President of
never worked with
Worldwide
someone in Japan,
Sales
successful
can’t
busiTewell take who’s
and Business De-
or
velopment
for
someone in Ger-
Verisilicon, an in-
many, or worked
ternational
with someone in
semi-
worked
in-
with
conductor services company.
the
industry
China and have them success-
As Senior Vice President, Jar-
but the industry has really
fully interact with someone
mon is constantly traveling
morphed over time.” Mr. Jar-
from that culture in a business
across the United States, Eu-
mon’s comment is formed by
setting, it’s something that
rope, and Asia to meet with
his lifetime of experience in
has to be learned over time. I
current and potential custom-
the field and his multiple high
think that the many years of
ers and to visit his team spread
level positions. Throughout his
Dave’s experience of doing that
around the globe.
career, Jarmon has met many
is really what is represented
David’s years of internation-
other outstanding business-
today in terms of ease of do-
al experience has led to a vast
men along the way. One man
ing that.” The intersection of
career in the semiconductor
in particular has been incred-
curiosity and business has led
business. In an interview with
ibly helpful and influential
to Jarmon’s longtime busi-
semiconductor
ness experience in the field of
works and semiconductors then
Japan Operations for Cooper
semiconductors and intellec-
I knew that was something I
& Chyan Technology. Jarmon
tual property, demonstrated by
would be interested in doing
then moved onto Silicon Per-
his wide spectrum of jobs and
the rest of my life.” After jug-
spective Corporation where he
many different residences.
gling different majors Jarmon
became the Vice President of
finally decided on Electrical
International Sales. Silicon Per-
in Houston, Texas it seemed
Engineering.
spective was then acquired by
that David Jarmon was des-
his educa-
tined to be an international
mon
tycoon.
Jarmon grew up in
Born on September 29, 1959
Th ro ugho ut Jar-
Cadence Design Systems where
a l w ay s
Jarmon became the Vice Presi-
c u ri -
o u s
dent of Customer Driven R&D.
both Houston and Dallas Texas
ho w
t h e
Recently, Mr. Jarmon worked
learning simple cultural differ-
world
was
tion,
for Vivante Corporation as the
ences in his home state “From
Senior Vice President of Global
a very early age he’s had ex-
Sales and Business Develop-
posure to other cultures, he’s
ment. In the past year, Vivante
from Texas which is a culture in
was acquired by Verisilicon
it of it’s own that was probably
Incorporated. “Verisilicon is a
a pretty good start.”
Tewell,
larger company so I am respon-
who currently lives in Austin,
sible for worldwide sales for the
Texas explains David’s early ex-
worke d .
posure to a variety of cultures,
This curi-
one of the many factors of Jar-
led Jarmon to dis-
company we have a run rate osity
[the financial success of a com-
cover
pany over time] of over $200
mon’s international success. In
his love for science, “Physics led
million per year and I’m re-
his college years, Jarmon at-
me to Electrical Engineering
sponsible for the total revenue
tended the University of Texas
I learned how to do scientific
number.”
at Austin where he changed
programing and that led me to
the same position of Senior
majors many times “When I
a curiosity in how computers
Vice President of Worldwide
was a junior I changed my ma-
work.”
Sales at Verisilicon.
jor several times because I got
education, Mr. Jarmon worked
As Senior VP, Jarmon’s
interested in a number of dif-
in many companies in Texas,
responsibilities include a vari-
ferent things.
Many things
Oregon, and Japan until finally
ety of tasks ranging from con-
that I studied I was interested
settling down in Silicon Valley.
ducting customer meetings to
in but once I found program-
After many years in the tech-
keeping in touch with his team.
ming and software writing
nology field Jarmon’s career re-
“I have 45 people on my team.”
large scale programs and learn-
ally took off when he was hired
Jarmon said, “But I think more
ing how computer architecture
as the Managing Director of
importantly my team is the
After completing his
Jarmon now holds
3
“Y
ou can’t take somebody who’s never worked with someone in Japan, or worked with someone in Germany, or worked with someone in China and have them successfully interact with someone from that culture in a business setting it’s something that has to be learned over time. I think that the many years of Dave’s experience of doing that is really what is represented today in terms of ease of doing that.” - Rick Tewell
direct interface with custom-
ing their requirements. In ad-
is the planning phase: “In this
ers and we work very closely
dition to the staying in contact
planning phase, I need to try
with the engineering teams to
with colleagues and customers,
to arrange meetings, arrange
help them focus what products
Jarmon’s job requires him to
people’s times and coordinate
they are developing and where
constantly travel on business
those with travel schedules”
to put our resources in terms
trips. “Usually a business trip
(Jarmon).
of customer engagements and
is pretty hectic” Jarmon ex-
is planned down to every last
new
plains,
detail in order to spend time
product
engagements.”
“I
try to
For Mr. Jarmon, there is no av-
e f f i - ciently. The goal of the
erage day at work. At the of-
customer meetings is
fice or on the plane his drive
usually to set up a fol-
does not change. Although
low-up meeting in or-
Jarmon’s daily tasks are al-
der to continue the de-
ways changing one task
cision making process.
seems to stay con-
Jarmon’s multiple tasks
stant “these days I’m
range from responding to
doing a lot of email and com-
emails to traveling the globe
munication trying to find what
4
Jarmon’s schedule
to meet with customers.
are the most critical actions
cram as many customer visits
Business inside of the U.S is
that need to be addressed.”
as I can.” International travel is
challenging in itself, then add
During the work day, Jarmon
arguably the most important
in the challenges of language
works to connect with his col-
part of Jarmon’s job as it is im-
barriers and time differences
leagues and other people he is
perative to meet customers in
which make global business
working with to make sure ev-
person. In order to meet with
so difficult. However, through
erything is in order. More im-
as many customers as possible,
years of experience in the field,
portantly, Mr. Jarmon focuses
Mr. Jarmon splits the business
Jarmon has mastered the pro-
on staying in constant contact
trip process into two parts. The
cess of international business.
with his customers understand-
first and most important part
The biggest obstacles when
real strength of Silicon Valley is that engineers in Silicon Valley can think about a problem differently. “If there’s a market requirement, they need to meet in 4 months and for a typical Japanese
engineering
team
[or] a typical U.S engineering team that might be a 2 year project.”(Jarmon) This type of creativity is equally important and sometimes absent in some cultures. (Jarmon) After milconducting business interna-
and American engineers that
tionally are the changes when
have gone to school overseas,
traveling to another country.
so it’s a globalized business but
“The obvious challenge in an-
each region of the world brings
other country is the time zone
a different focus that has their
challenge, so I need to be flex-
cultural strengths and weak-
ible with customers in other
nesses.”
areas.” (Jarmon)
In order to
observation, Jarmon has also
call at a convenient time for
learned that working with Jap-
the customer, Jarmon says he
anese customer can increase
counteracts this issue by ad-
the quality of the products
justing his sleep schedule to
that are produced “Japanese
either wake up earlier or go to
engineers pay a lot of attention
sleep later. Even though there
to detail in that way German
is a span of differences in cul-
engineers are similar.” How-
ture across international busi-
ever, Mr. Jarmon has equally
ness there are many similari-
learned that although those
ties in the engineers working
culture have their strengths in
throughout different countries.
that they are excellent in engi-
Working with German, French,
neering practice and they pay
and Japanese customers Jar-
a lot of attention to detail, but
mon has discovered “customers
they have difficulty in really
that went to school in the U.S
thinking outside the lines. The
In addition to this
lions of miles of international travel, Jarmon’s knowledge displays his vast knowledge of international business. Touching down, the wheels screech on the tarmac as the plane lands.
Regaining cell
phone service Jarmon catches up on customer emails. As this journey ends, Jarmon knows it is just a gateway to another trip. Jarmon’s work is non-stop part of what makes him so successful. David Jarmon has combined his years of experience in the semiconductor business with his vast knowledge of other cultures to become an ideal international businessman.
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Works Cited Jarmon, David. Personal interview. 7 April 2016. ---. Personal interview. 19 April 2016. Simnacher, Ben. Personal interview. 17 April 2016. Tewell, Rick. Personal interview. 14 April 2016. Montgomery, Mike. “Tech Startups Weigh The Merits Of Austin Vs. Silicon Valley.” Forbes.
Forbes Magazine, 19 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
“David Jarmon.” Management Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2016. Griffith, David A., Michael Y. Hu, and John K. Ryans. “Process Standardization Across Intra
and Inter-cultural Relationships”. Journal of International Business Studies 31.2 (2000): 303–324.
Web... “American Vs. Chinese Business Culture.” American Vs. Chinese Business Culture. N.p., n.d. WWW
Web. 15 Mar. 2016.”American Vs. Chinese Business Culture.” American Vs. Chinese Business Cul-
ture. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.
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