FALL 2013
silicon valleylocal Your Silicon Valley Connection
Jim & Becky Morgan
GOOD LEADERSHIP INSPIRES GOOD MORALE
Photo credit: LucieXYZ Photography
y k c e B & Jim n a g r Mo
GOOD LEADERSHIP INSPIRES GOOD MORALE
Photo credit: Jim Gensheimer
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ilicon Valley has been and is blessed with many great people, companies and organizations doing great things … those who work hard and give of themselves to help make our world, our society, our region a better place. You have no idea my delight when I got the green light to meet with Jim & Becky Morgan. With perhaps only one exception, that being David Packard and William Hewlett, H-P and their respective Foundations, no one has done more to help support our Silicon Valley community in the ways that Jim & Becky Morgan, Applied Materials and their Morgan Family Foundation have. If by chance you may not know yet who they are, please know two things: they are Morgan Family Foundation Board Members (l to r): an incredible Team and their long list of accomplishments, Valerie and Jeff Morgan, Becky and Jim Morgan and Photo credit: Carol Turner and accolades, far surpass the Dr. Mary Finegan four pages I have to tell their everyone was back then. Eight moves in story. Their story begins in nine years, it was “not much of a smooth the 1950’s, having met as students at Cornell. They recognized a very special quality sailing”. Jim had been ROTC and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the military – the time was in each other and, as the saying goes, the during the Vietnam War. Becky said that rest would become history. Jim was from Indiana – he was his dorm her dream was for a family and she hoped, someday, for a $40,000 house. rep to their class Council. Becky was from Fast forward, they arrived in 1968 Vermont – she was the VP of her class. It in Palo Alto and moved into, yes, their was 1956, women were not allowed to be $40,000 home … their 1st house … an class President. Becky said, it was not like Eichler. Becky added: What kind of home an 18 year old guy to be as supportive as can you buy here today for $40,000? Thirhe was. He was special. They have now been happily married for 53 years and that teen years later they sold their home for $210,000. Becky, in the meantime, had support of and for each other has never gone on to get her MBA at Stanford, and changed. They have two terrific children Jim in 1976 became President of Applied that they are extremely proud of and what they do - their son, who founded a founda- Materials. I asked Jim if he could see that very first day the wonderful success that tion to preserve historical landmarks and was about to come? “You know, Ken, my their daughter, who is an OB GYN. first day as President of Applied, the quesSuccess did not just find Jim and Becky tion was whether we would go bankrupt Morgan. They were young, fresh out of college, working to find their way, much like or not. We were losing money, had little
equity and were $10 million in debt. In 1976, that was a lot of money!” That was not the answer I was expecting. It was what he said next that put everything so into perspective. “We turned it around. We established a vision and kept to it. We cut 5 of the 6 businesses that were away from our core and added some new ones. We started thinking of propelling the business rather than working in the fear of going bankrupt. And we quickly saw a tremendous rise in millions of dollars in sales.” Yes, this is an illustration of Leadership and how it worked and how it transformed everything. Jim went on to say that in 1976, the company leaders were located and working separately in Palo Alto, away from the company employees in Santa Clara. One of Jim’s very first acts as President was to move the management group back to Santa Clara – where they would be a visible and inclusive part of the company. This was very important to Jim. “Morale is important to success!”, he said. “Good leadership inspires good morale!” He realized later that his personal mission was to help individuals and organizations realize their potential. If you want to know in a nutshell, who and what Jim and Becky Morgan are about, I would say, this is it. They are on the same page, and always have been. Jim moved to CEO 1977-2003 and then Chairman 1987-2009. During this time, Applied Materials grew to become one of the most successful and most respected companies in Silicon Valley and the world. I mentioned how it seems he has always surrounded himself with outstanding people, that his Board of Directors read like a Who’s Who. He and Becky both said how very important that was and still is today. In 1996, Jim won the National Medal of Technology for Industry Leadership. He was awarded the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Lifetime Achievement Award for his ethics, community engagement and business success. And he takes great pride in being a founder and supporter of the popular Tech Awards – honoring people who help humanity through technology. He was then surprised that they selected him to be the first recipient of the Global Humanitarian Award.
Photo credit: LucieXYZ Photography
Under his leadership, Applied Materials won every award or has been on every good list imaginable: The 100 Best Corporate Citizens, The Super 100, Biggest Best Companies, 100 Most Important Companies in the World, 100 Best Management Teams in the World, Best Companies for Asians, Blacks & Hispanics To Work For, 100 Best Companies To Work For … and endless times, too, for always being among the very best, here or anywhere, in their corporate giving. It was as if all these years, Applied Materials was synonymous with success and giving. The interesting thing? When financial times were hard, and community charitable giving was often cut back, Applied Materials employees gave more. Yes, more. They felt community would need more. For Becky, what has always been an extremely important and driving force is: “Public Service” and “Collaboration”. That in a nutshell helps to describe who she is. She doesn’t care to be called a politician. Rather, she likes to be called “Public Servant” - and that it’s about our working together and finding solutions. Indeed, she has dedicated her entire life to being, and doing, just that. She has served as a Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor, and as our State Senator in Sacramento, and then as CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley – a
job for which she was recruited and for which Also, there is “Teen Success, Inc.” to help she felt suited. support teen mothers. We know that without Many of her achievements will forever be a this support, the outlook for teen moms is rather positive difference for Silicon Valley. For exbleak. Over 23 years, first with Planned Parentample, she led the fight to save Caltrain. Gov- hood and now with an independent organizaernor Deukmejian did not want the state to tion, more than 4,500 girls have been helped be in the transit business. Had it not been for to avoid a second child until ready, to graduate Becky, who negotiated the sale with Southern from high school and to learn life skills. “They Pacific, whose legislation set up the Joint Pow- respond so well with our weekly group help,” ers Board and who said Becky. worked very hard to And third, there get the needed votes is the Morgan Family – and who is especialFoundation in which ly grateful to Willie the Morgans are truly, Brown, John Vasconand fully, engaged. cellos and Al Alquist, These first two efwho helped greatly to forts are supported see it through – makby the Morgan Faming it all happen. It ily Foundation. It is would indeed be a all a passion of love very different picture and dedication to the of us standing still Morgans. Over 200 today. Back then it grants a year are given was 17,000 - today it to many great causBecky Morgan with two Teen Success, Inc. is 30,000 daily riders, scholarship winners. Photo credit: Kris Ahmed, es in the community who would be withsupporting education, Teen Success, Inc. out transportation or youth development stuck in even more and many non-profits traffic on 280 or 101. such as Breast Cancer Connections and Bring Me The construction of Highway 85 was origia Book. One cause close to their hearts is the nated by Becky. She had heard the complaints Eastside College Prep. An example I thoroughly coming from the people in West Valley, that enjoyed hearing was a story of this young girl, so many were driving through their neighboreleventh child in her family, who graduated from hoods. What would life be like, here and now, the school, was accepted at MIT, had an internif we didn’t have our Caltrain and Highway 85? ship at Hewlett-Packard and is now a sophomore I shudder to think. in Boston. That brings us to today – with that special What the Morgans left me with was this. vision of theirs. What matters and is of imIt’s about making a difference where we can. portance to the Morgans is to help make this Their message was that of generosity, giving a better world - work that others have done, and paying forward, for our present and fuand are doing - and what together we can do, ture. When fortunate, we can do more and collaboratively, which we can learn and grow must make a difference. We don’t want our from and make a difference. families to go from rags to riches to rags in There are three facets that keep the Morgans three generations. Time also means so much. as busy as ever. First, there is the Northern Sier- Please volunteer if and when possible. Helpra Partnership in the Sierras – to help preserve ing and giving means so much to others. The and protect the landscape, the rivers and lakes. strength and well-being of our community 60% of all Californians and all northern Nevadepends on what we all can do. dan’s get their water from there. It’s taking care The Morgans are great leaders, inspiration of our present and looking ahead for our future – and role models for us all. I am and we are this water supply is essential for our living. indeed most grateful.