Fairchild Semiconductor has announced the appointment of Mark S. Frey as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Frey will report directly to President and CEO, Mark Thompson.
"We're very pleased that Mark is joining Fairchild's management team," said Thompson. "His strong financial acumen will significantly contribute to the execution of our strategy. We had a strong finish to 2005 and enter 2006 with great momentum, focused on improving our gross margins and increasing the mix of higher-value new products. This is an exciting time for Fairchild, and we look forward to Mark's contributions as we continue to improve the quality of our business and drive stronger financial results."
Frey previously was vice president, Finance and Corporate Controller for Lam Research Corp., a major supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the world's semiconductor industry. He was responsible for a range of financial processes and organizations, implementing rigorous measurement programs to improve gross margins.
Prior experience included serving as vice president of Finance for Raychem Corp.'s Electronics OEM Division. Frey was the financial leader and integration manager for the acquisition of Raychem by Tyco International. Earlier Frey held financial positions with Activision and Memorex. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
"Fairchild Semiconductor is a legendary name in the industry and has a long tradition of innovation," said Frey. "Since Mark became president and CEO almost a year ago, Fairchild's focus has resulted in improved margins, more disciplined capital spending and reduced inventories, while refocusing the company's businesses to deliver high-value products. I welcome the opportunity to be part of Fairchild's next stage of success."
