Intel’s Barrett leaves chipmaking legacy, shortfall
Intel Chairman Craig Barrett(Credit: Intel)
Chances are pretty good that once Intel Chairman Craig Barrett formally retires in May, he'll head straight for Montana just as the snows are melting and the rivers are high.
During his tenure as Intel's fourth chief executive officer, Barrett, an avid fisherman, seemed equally at ease discussing how to create some of the most complex structures known to man and the best way to tie a fly. The company announced Friday that Barrett will step down as chairman of the board of the world's largest chipmaker, three years after turning over the CEO post to current Intel head Paul Otellini.
He leaves a mixed legacy behind: under his watch, Intel cemented its reputation as the world's leading chip-manufacturing organization. It operates a network of sophisticated "fabs" around the world that are the envy of the industry and of which Barrett, who is credited for perfecting Intel's approach to chip manufacturing in the 1970s and '80s, is immensely proud.
