National Semiconductor Names First National Semiconductor Fellow

July 24, 1997 -- National Semiconductor Corporation's first Fellow Award, given to the technologist who has consistently shown outstanding contributions, was awarded to Tom Redfern, a strategic technical advisor in the company's Communication and Consumer Group.

National's CEO Brian Halla presented the award at National's Technology & Innovation Conference this week.

The Fellow is National's highest technical position. It was created to attract, retain and motivate the finest technical staff. A Fellow appointment promotes the recipient to the position of technical consultant to senior management.

Redfern has over 30 years worth of technical accomplishments. He holds eleven patents, eight while working at National, and won National's "Most Outstanding Patent of the Year" award in 1979 for his charge balance techniques used in the manufacture of analog to digital converters. Redfern has authored or co-authored a dozen articles and papers. In 1987, he was recognized by Electronic Products magazine's "Product of the Year" award for his one-chip data acquisition system.

"I have a sense of excitement and of responsibility in my new role. I look forward to completing some ongoing projects, especially attracting top university talent to National, along with my new role as technical advisor to senior management," Redfern said.

An article in the April 13, 1995 issue of Electronic Design News (EDN), written by Bill Travis, senior technical editor, titled "On the Shoulders of Giants," recognized Redfern as a genius in his field. "When we contemplate powerful desktop computers..., we tend to think of the geniuses who made such wonders possible. In information theory, great thinkers such as Von Neumann and Wiener come to mind. In linear technology, we have Dobkin, Philbrick, Redfern, and Widlar."

"National's engineers are among the finest in the world and they prove that daily with the products and technology developed here. To be perceived as a leader and one of National's finest is truly an honor for Tom," Halla said.

Redfern's recognition package will include a National stock grant, title as a Fellow and a $5,000 donation in his name to a university of choice. Redfern chose Stanford University, his alma mater.

Those nominated for the Fellow Award go through a stringent selection process. Criteria include, patents and innovations, papers, technical leadership, external recognition and awards and corporate citizenship.

National Semiconductor Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, produces system on a chip silicon solutions for the information highway, based on its leadership in analog and mixed signal technologies. National is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and focuses on the communications, personal systems and consumer markets. National has annual sales of approximately $2 billion and 12,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.