Thin-film solar PV manufacturer Odersun has appointed former NXP Semiconductors exec Hein van der Zeeuw as its new CEO. Van der Zeeuw has 26 years of experience in the electronic components and semiconductor industry and is a former member of the board of management of Philips spin-out NXP, which he resigned from in July, 2008 after serving as executive VP of operations.
Solar Fabrik has named semiconductor industy veteran Günter Weinberger to replace Christoph Paradeis as the company's CEO, effective Dec. 31. Weinberger comes to the solar module and systems manufacturer from Sandbridge Technologies, where he was president/CEO.
At the 2008 IEDM in San Francisco, Dr. Mark Pinto, CTO for Applied Materials was awarded The J.J. Ebers Award for outstanding contribution to the semiconductor industry. Presented by the IEEE Electron Devices Society, the J.J. Ebers award was established in 1971 and is given in commemoration of Jewell James Ebers, whose work on electron devices helped shape current technologies. The award is considered one of the technical community’s most prestigious awards.
Amtech Systems, Inc. has named Fokko Pentinga as the Managing Director of the company’s European division. Amtech Europe comprises Tempress Systems in Vaassen, the Netherlands, and R2D Automation in Montpellier, France, both of which are subsidiaries of Amtech Systems, Inc. Mr. Pentinga joins Amtech from his former role as General Manager of Tempress Systems, where he served for over 14 years.
Silicon Valley-based SunPower Corp. has named Jorg Heinemann as its new Chief Information Officer. Mr. Heinemann joins the company from his former 20-year tenure at Accenture, where he most recently held the role of Executive Partner. As Chief Information Officer, he will steer SunPower’s global IT organization and manage the company's strategic technology planning.
Amelio Solar, Inc. has named Donald Osborn as its President and as Director of its photovoltaic power generation systems group. Based in Ewing, New Jersey, Amelio Solar intends to apply Mr. Osborn’s over 30 years of experience in the industry the company’s expansion plans, with the installation of a large-scale thin-film PV module factory in California planned for 2009. Mr. Osborn will also assume responsibility for development of the company's global turnkey thin-film PV module factory deployment business and expansion of its power generation systems portfolio.
SmartSpark Energy Systems has added two fresh faces to its executive management team and reassigned a familiar one to new duties. The solar power electronics company has named Noel Foley as VP of engineering and Joseph Scarci as VP of marketing, while Frederick Krein, former president/CEO, will continue in the newly created role of VP of finance and administration.
Effective as of 14 November 2008, Ravi Khanna (pictured), the Chief Executive of Moser Baer Photovoltaic, left the company to join Norway-based Scatec Solar. He had been with Moser for the past 18 months looking after acquisitions of technology firms and setting up a technology centre for emerging and disruptive technologies. Before Moser Baer he was with the Delphi Corporation serving in various positions including Country Manager for India and Thailand.
On 29 November 2008, Professor Dr. Adolf Goetzberger, the founder of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, ISE turned 80 years old. In 1976, Goetzberger was well-known semiconductor expert and head of a research institute with 180 employees, but in 1981, he decided to head out on his own and start the Fraunhofer ISE with only 18 employees. Today the ISE has grown to employee more than 800 people for the advancement of solar energy.
SEMI has named a long-time employee as its new president of SEMI North America, appointing Jonathan Davis to succeed Victoria Hadfield, effective Jan. 1, 2009. Davis will assume responsibility for the group's North American programs, products, and services and will be responsible for relationships with SEMI members as well as industry, government, and academia in the region. Hadfield moves on to pursue personal interests but will remain with the trade association in an advisory role.
