NEWS FOR RELEASE: 12/18/00 - 10:30 a.m. ET
CONTACT: Lee A. Brown
Ramtron
719-481-7213
[email protected]
RAMTRON NAMES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
L. David Sikes to Continue as Chairman of the Board
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - December 18, 2000-Ramtron International Corporation
(Nasdaq:RMTR), a leading developer of specialty semiconductor memory products,
announced today that it has appointed William W. Staunton III as the company's
chief executive officer, effective immediately. L. David Sikes will continue in
his role as chairman, providing strategic direction to the company.
Staunton joins Ramtron from Space Electronics, Inc., a fabless semiconductor
company and supplier of microelectronics for space and high-reliability
applications, where he served as chief operating officer. Earlier, he was
executive vice president of Valor Electronics, managing the company's business
units, design and manufacturing engineering and quality-reliability functions,
as well as worldwide manufacturing operations. Prior to Valor Electronics,
Staunton served as vice president, quality and reliability, for Applied
Microcircuits Corporation. Previously, he held a variety of operations-
management positions with Motorola and Burr-Brown Research Corporation.
Staunton holds a BSEE degree from Utah State University.
"Bill's high-technology and semiconductor experience spans more than 27 years,
during which he has demonstrated a track record of achieving significant
improvements in manufacturing, engineering, quality, and business operations,"
said Sikes. "We now have products in the market, quality manufacturers for
those products, and a financial base to support future growth. We look forward
to leveraging Bill's leadership and operational experience to realize the
potential of our product families."
"I look forward to the challenge of growing Ramtron's FRAM (registered
trademark) and Enhanced Memory businesses," said Staunton. "These two
technologies have gained acceptance in the marketplace and are poised to move
from niche product status to mainstream applications. Ramtron represents an
exciting opportunity, and together with its management team, I look forward to
contributing to its future success."
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"As Ramtron's chairman and CEO since 1995, I have focused on four primary goals
for the company: to resolve the financial issues associated with a former
significant shareholder, broaden strategic alliances, improve the company's
balance sheet, and increase Ramtron's funding base to enable its growth. With
the completion of the recently announced Infineon transaction, these goals have
been accomplished. Now in my role as chairman, I look forward to continuing our
relationships with the investment community, and working to strengthen and
enhance our strategic partnership base," Sikes added.
About Ramtron
Ramtron's patented FRAM memories are a new generation of semiconductor memory
that combines high-performance and low-power operation with the ability to
store data in the absence of power. Due to the products' unique advantages,
FRAM memories are expected to revolutionize a variety of electronic consumer
and industrial products. The company also develops and markets ultra-high-
performance memory products through its subsidiary, Enhanced Memory Systems,
Inc.
Except for historical information, the statements preceding contain forward-
looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Investors are
cautioned that such statements are only predictions and that actual events or
results may differ materially. These forward-looking statements speak only as
of this date. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the
results of any revisions to the forward-looking statements made today to
reflect events or circumstances after today, or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
For more information about Ramtron and its products, contact: Communications
Department, Ramtron International Corporation, 1850 Ramtron Drive, Colorado
Springs, Colorado, USA, 80921. Telephone is 800-545-FRAM (3726); FAX is 719-
481-9294; E-mail address is [email protected]. Homepage is www.ramtron.com
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