Mark C. Smith
Mark C. Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 10, 1940 |
| Died | March 27, 2007 |
| Occupation(s) | Former Chief executive officer, founder ADTN |
| Spouse | Linda Jones Smith[1] |
Mark C. Smith (September 10, 1940 – March 27, 2007) was the founder and chief executive officer of ADTRAN.
Early life and education
[edit]While still in high school, Smith won a science fair at age 16 and met renowned rocket scientist Wernher Von Braun in Huntsville, Alabama. He received an electrical engineering degree from Georgia Tech in 1962.[1][2]
Career
[edit]Mark C. Smith moved to Huntsville, where he founded two successful companies, the earlier being modem manufacturer Universal Data Systems in 1969.[1] Smith went on to co-found ADTRAN in 1986 with Lonnie S. McMillian.[1][3] As of 2007 the company had a market-cap of $1.7 billion.[3] Smith retired from ADTRAN in September 2005.[1]
Death and legacy
[edit]Mark Smith and his wife Linda were known for their philanthropic support of causes in the Huntsville area including the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.[1][3]
He died in 2007 due to complications from pneumonia.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Mark C. Smith". The Huntsville Times. March 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
- ^ "AdTran Founder Mark Smith Dies". WHNT. 2007-03-27. Retrieved 2011-07-08.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c Brian Lawson (March 29, 2007). "Mark Smith always led by example". The Huntsville Times. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
- ^ "ADTRAN Announces That Its Chairman of the Board Mark C. Smith Passes Away". ADTRAN. 2007-03-27. Retrieved 2007-09-16.