Jack Gifford gone

The founder and recently retired CEO of the company I work for, died of a heart attack on Monday.  He made a difference.  A few notes from employees follow.

 

Faith, generosity, baseball

Some years ago I was in charge of Branham Hills Little League's "Handicapped"  baseball team...our first year offering a team experience to special needs kids.  We were operating on a bare-bones budget which did not include team shirts.

 

Somehow Mr. Gifford heard about my efforts to raise money for team shirts for the kids and their on-the-field helpers.  He stopped by my desk, asked "How much to get shirts for everyone?", and handed me the cash!

 

I asked if he wanted to know more about the program before making such a generous donation but he said, "No, kid, if it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me."   I know for a fact that many kids slept in those shirts!

 

I've never forgotten his faith in me or his generosity!

 

Thanks, Jack, for everything!

 

xxx

 

 

 

A letter to Jack

Dear Jack,

 

It's difficult to describe the hollow feeling in my heart after hearing the shocking news Monday morning.

 

All of Maxim owes so much to you.

 

I, as many of my colleagues, joined Maxim because of you. I am sure you didn't notice me in the audience when you made your pitch about Maxim to this tiny, failed start-up company that you were planning to acquire. The passion, the business savvy and the sheer energy that you projected made up my mind for me. I knew then that you would always stand out in any crowd and that you would do the same for Maxim.

 

Throughout the years, you coaxed, harangued, lectured and inspired us to help you build a great company.  I learned a tremendous amount from you. Thank you for that great experience.

 

Together, we went through many ups and downs over the years (fortunately they were mostly ups). Even in bad times, you always had a place in your heart, not just for me, but for every Maxim employee.

 

Jack, I miss you and I know that many, many other Maximites do as well. You will always have a special place in my heart.

 

Goodbye,

yyy

 

 

Generosity

Shortly after I began working for Maxim, our office lost an employee to cancer at a very young age. The employee left behind a wife and young children. Jack's response was very eye-opening for me. He provided the widow with both financial support and assistance with medical benefits for five years. I'm not sure if he'd even met the employee or his spouse, but it did not seem to matter. He understood the hardships his widow would be facing and did not hesitate to help in any way. I will never forget this extremely generous gesture. Nobody was too small, too far away or too insignificant to Jack. We have truly lost a great man who did not hesitate to make a personal connection with the employees whenever he could.

 zzz

 

God's Helper

Thank you Mr. Gifford for what you have done in your 68 years of life.  You are someone I have always looked up to and admired even though I always had a terrible time comprehending why you would always turn down our requisitions with so many questions, but each year whenever our annual bonuses arrives, I would realized why you did what you did. I remember your words of wisdom "spend the company's money like its your own..."  I know you were not so much penny-pinching, rather you probably just wanted us to have more at the end of each day.  My heartfelt gratitude to you for setting up good examples for all of us.  Your vision has helped many of us realized our dreams. 

 

I know that GOD has called you now because you have finally accomplished everything that you were set out to do here on earth.  He probably needs another visionary to help him build another Maxim Integrated Products up there in heaven.  Or perhaps a great baseball coach for a team HE is building.

 

So long Mr. Gifford, until we meet again...

 

Thank You.

 bbb

 

jack, a great leader in financial management

Jack was a great leader in financial management. If you look at the current state of economy, we have debt problems at every level (federal government, state government, city government, corporation, consumer). Jack built a company with no debt and did not employ any leverage. If we follow Jack's style of financial management, our nation would be in much better shape today.

 

I remembered in  October 2000, Maxim stock dropped sixteen dollars  in one day because Jack told the analyst that Maxim bookings  exceeded real market consumption. He was the first chip executive to predict a downturn  in chip sales. His insight prevented Maxim expanded too fast  and fooled by unrealistic and unsustainable  numbers.

 

aaa