Edwin Turney
Encyclopedia
Edwin James Turney is best known as one of the founders of Advanced Micro Devices
serving as the Vice President of Sales and Administration from 1969 to 1974.
as a TechRep Field Engineer.
Turney's career took off when, in 1969, he joined Fairchild Semiconductor
as Sales Engineer. Within two years, he was promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing, Computer Market based in corporate headquarters, Silicon Valley, California.
In 1969 Fairchild Semiconductor was taken over by Motorola
management. This was the impetus for the founding of Advanced Micro Devices
(AMD).
AMD was founded by Jerry Sanders
, John Carey, Sven Simonsen, Ed Turney, Jack Gifford and three members of Gifford's team, Frank Botte, Jim Giles and Larry Stenger.
As Vice President, Sales and Administration, Turney was responsible for worldwide sales, purchasing, material, customer service, plus numerous diversified administrative and contractual functions. Under Turney's reign, sales grew incrementally at 20% per quarter to approximately $65,000,000 from first production in April 1970 through December 1974.
Ed Turney's next position was as Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Sales at Electronic Arrays. In Turney's two year stint from 1974 to 1976 he increased sales from $6M to $22M propelling the company into becoming the world's largest Read-Only Memory
manufacturer at the time. The company was subsequently acquired by NEC
of Japan.
In December, 1976, Ed joined Intersil
as Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Sales. He had been solicited by the Board Chairmen of both companies at the time of acquisition of Intersil by Advanced Memory Systems to integrate sales and marketing for the combined companies and to formulate and execute consolidated business plans. Turney developed and implemented a multi-year, award-winning advertising campaign to create a new image for the company. He received the EFFIE
Award, given for the most effective advertising commercials. At that time, Intersil was the only semiconductor company in the nation to have received the award.
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
serving as the Vice President of Sales and Administration from 1969 to 1974.
Early life
Ed Turney was born in Brooklyn, New York. His early years were spent in Ridgewood and later in Huntington, Long Island. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the US Navy where he received his first training in electronics. Turney graduated 3rd in his class from the U.S. Naval School, Electronics Technicians at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois.Career
After leaving the Navy, Turney worked for a brief time back on his native Long Island for the Long Island Lighting Company. His next stop was at PhilcoPhilco
Philco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television...
as a TechRep Field Engineer.
Turney's career took off when, in 1969, he joined Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. is an American semiconductor company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1957, it was a pioneer in transistor and integrated circuit manufacturing...
as Sales Engineer. Within two years, he was promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing, Computer Market based in corporate headquarters, Silicon Valley, California.
In 1969 Fairchild Semiconductor was taken over by Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
management. This was the impetus for the founding of Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
(AMD).
AMD was founded by Jerry Sanders
Jerry Sanders
Jerry Sanders may refer to:* Jerry Sanders * Jerry Sanders...
, John Carey, Sven Simonsen, Ed Turney, Jack Gifford and three members of Gifford's team, Frank Botte, Jim Giles and Larry Stenger.
As Vice President, Sales and Administration, Turney was responsible for worldwide sales, purchasing, material, customer service, plus numerous diversified administrative and contractual functions. Under Turney's reign, sales grew incrementally at 20% per quarter to approximately $65,000,000 from first production in April 1970 through December 1974.
Ed Turney's next position was as Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Sales at Electronic Arrays. In Turney's two year stint from 1974 to 1976 he increased sales from $6M to $22M propelling the company into becoming the world's largest Read-Only Memory
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
manufacturer at the time. The company was subsequently acquired by NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
of Japan.
In December, 1976, Ed joined Intersil
Intersil
Intersil Corporation is an American company that specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of high-performance analog semiconductors for four high-growth markets — Communications, Computing, High End Consumer and Industrial.-Company history:...
as Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Sales. He had been solicited by the Board Chairmen of both companies at the time of acquisition of Intersil by Advanced Memory Systems to integrate sales and marketing for the combined companies and to formulate and execute consolidated business plans. Turney developed and implemented a multi-year, award-winning advertising campaign to create a new image for the company. He received the EFFIE
EFFIE
The Effie Awards are marketing communications awards given yearly by Effie Worldwide, Inc., a non-profit organization, to honor the most effective marketing communications ideas: ideas that work...
Award, given for the most effective advertising commercials. At that time, Intersil was the only semiconductor company in the nation to have received the award.
Death
Turney died on October 15, 2008, of brain cancer at age 79. He was buried on October 18 at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 22555 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos. He is buried in St. Theresa’s Court next to his mother, Rose.Further reading
- The Spirit of AMD by Jeffrey L. Rodengen ISBN 0-94590-3219
- Inside Intel: Andy Grove and the Rise of the World's Most Powerful Chip Company by Tim Jackson ISBN 0-45227-6438
- The Making of Silicon Valley: A One Hundred Year Renaissance by Ward Winslow and John McLaughlin ISBN 0-96492-1707