TSI Semiconductors Appoints Three to Executive Team

ROSEVILLE, Calif., April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TSI Semiconductors, LLC, a world-class specialty foundry offering flexible technology development and manufacturing services, today announced the appointment of three new executives: Roger Lee as chief operating officer, David Bridgeford as chief financial officer and John Doricko as TSI's vice president of Sales and Marketing and president of the company's research and development subsidiary, Technology Development & Commercialization Services (TDCS). In addition, the company announced that Michael Gontar of Wafra Capital Partners Inc. will serve as its chairman.

"I am excited to work with such an exceptional team to advance TSI and position it for success in delivering world-class foundry and technology services in direct partnership with our customers. Each of our executives brings expertise and industry experience that will prove vital in helping us reach our goals," said Sagar Pushpala, who was announced today as TSI's new CEO. "Roger is well-suited to serve as COO, having been involved with TSI's American manufacturing operations and serving as the company's interim CEO, as well as co-founding and managing large Asian factories. David has an impressive financial management background, having worked with companies of all sizes, and in the manufacturing realm. And, John comes to TSI with an extensive sales and marketing background in both technology and equipment, from early development through manufacturing."

TSI's New Executive Team  

• Roger Lee, COO, began working in the semiconductor industry more than 26 years ago, as an engineer for Texas Instruments. During his career, Lee has been awarded more than 150 U.S. patents and served on numerous boards. He has held a variety of executive and senior-level positions for several companies, including senior vice president of SMIC, which went public and became the third-largest foundry in the world. Previously, he co-founded the SMIC-Toppan JV (TSES) and held several management positions, including senior fellow, within Micron Technology. More recently, he was COO and served as a board member of Founder Microelectronics, Inc. in Shenzhen, China, where he was responsible for overall company operations, including fab manufacturing, sales and marketing, procurement, facilities and R&D operations.
• David Bridgeford, CFO, has more than 35 years of diverse financial management experience, in both private and public companies. Prior to joining TSI Semiconductors, he served as CFO at Acclaim Communications, Inc., Jadoo Power Systems, Inc., BHP Steel Building Products and Steele Resources Corp. Earlier in his career, Bridgeford held senior financial management positions with Level One Communications and Western Plastics Corp.
• John Doricko, TSI vice president of Sales and Marketing and president of TDCS, brings almost 25 years of experience in a variety of executive and senior leadership roles devoted to sales, marketing, business development and field operations. He has worked with a range of customers — including Intel, Samsung, TSMC and others — to bring advanced lithography, films, etch and other technologies from development to volume manufacturing. Doricko also has helped semiconductor customers find creative approaches to enabling their business objectives through his work in consulting and financing/asset management.

Michael Gontar to Serve as Chairman
Serving as chairman at TSI is Michael Gontar, who is also chief investment officer and a director at Wafra Capital Partners Inc., a SEC-registered investment advisor with more than $3.5 billion in assets under management. In addition to his role at Wafra, Gontar serves on numerous boards, including TriplePoint Capital, LLC, Reliant Asset Management, LLC and Somerset Capital Group. Prior to joining Wafra, he worked in the Transaction Services group of international accounting firm KPMG LLP, specializing in private equity due diligence and financial transactions.

Gontar also is the co-founder and principal of a real estate investment firm focused on low-income residential properties in the New York region, and was the vice president and co-founder of a nationwide wholesale company and serves on its board of directors.

About TSI Semiconductors, LLC
TSI Semiconductors, LLC is a world-class, specialty foundry offering flexible technology development and the highest industry quality manufacturing solutions for projects ranging from the smallest to very large lot sizes. With its 8-inch fabrication plant in Roseville, Calif., and 6-inch fabrication facility in Heilbronn, Germany, TSI can manufacture in a large array of versatile processes that include analog/mixed-signal, deep-submicron, high-voltage BCDMOS, including SOI for power management applications, and solutions such as novel materials structures and devices. Technology Development & Commercialization Services (TDCS), TSI's research and development organization, provides dedicated fab equipment to enable customers to manage their own development activities. For more information, visit www.tsisemi.com.

SOURCE TSI Semiconductors, LLC