Andrew Grove

Andrew Grove received the 1^st Heinz Award in Technology, the Economy and Employment in recognition of his astounding technological and business accomplishments, and his equally remarkable determination and vision. In a story as old as America, those traits transformed him from a young immigrant into a leading figure in the birth of the information society.

Dr. Grove’s accomplishments range from the technical to the commercial, from contributing to the development of the microprocessor chip - perhaps the most important advancement in the history of computing - to helping create the personal computer industry. As more Americans start traveling down the information highway, at speeds and prices to their liking, a tip of their symbolic hats to Andy Grove would be in order.

More than an engineering genius, he is an enlightened corporate executive and employer whose ability to nurture talent is legendary. His peers, as well as his employees, call him Andy, and that speaks volumes about the man’s character, his approach to business and his approach to life.

A native of Hungary, Dr. Grove fled during the 1956 Soviet invasion. When he arrived in New York, he was 20 years old, had only a few dollars in his pocket, and knew even fewer words of English.

That boy from Budapest has lived the quintessential American success story. By working any job he could find, he put himself through New York’s City College, earning a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, eventually receiving his masters and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Grove has played perhaps the single most pivotal role in the development and popularization of the 20^th century’s most remarkable innovation - the personal computer. The technologies pioneered by Dr. Grove and his associates, first at Fairchild Semiconductor and then at Intel - the company he co-founded in 1968 - made the entire personal computing revolution possible. The world has barely begun to scratch the surface of the technological and economic benefits that revolution can bring.

No stranger to controversy, Dr. Grove has shown an ability to learn from experience. And, while others panicked over problems or setbacks, he has always managed to maintain his focus on what he does best: developing even faster, more affordable and more powerful technology.

Thanks in large measure to Andrew Grove’s genius and vision, millions of people now have instant and inexpensive access to the kinds of information and entertainment about which even the privileged of earlier generations could only dream.

Note: This profile was written at the time of the awards’ presentation.

REMEMBERING

Andrew Grove passed away on March 21, 2016.