Cree, Inc. (Durham, NC): Gregg Lowe has selected as the company’s new president and chief executive officer with a seat on the board of directors, effective September 27. Lowe succeeds Chuck Swoboda, per a transition plan announced in May. Robert Ingram, current board member and lead independent director of Cree, will assume the position of chairman of the board. Swoboda will remain on the board until the annual meeting of shareholders on October 24.
Lowe joins Cree with extensive leadership and industry experience. From 2012 through 2015, he was president and CEO of Freescale Semiconductor, a $5 billion company with 17,000 employees and products serving automotive, industrial, consumer and communications markets. Prior to that, he spent 28 years at Texas Instruments, most recently serving as senior vice president and leader of the analog business.
“Gregg is an exceptional leader and a proven visionary in the semiconductor industry. We are proud that he has accepted the CEO position and is prepared to lead this innovative, technology-rich company into the future,” said Robert Ingram, board chairman of Cree.
In addition to his experience with semiconductor companies, Lowe also holds numerous board positions including Silicon Labs in Austin, Texas; Baylor Healthcare System in Dallas, Texas; and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, where he co-chairs the education committee for the board.
Lowe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has completed the executive program at Stanford University.