James A. Donahue, who was born on September 1, 1954, is the long-serving CEO of Cohu Inc., a company he has been with for over 31 years. He took the helm as CEO in June 2000 and also was appointed...

James A. Donahue, who was born on September 1, 1954, is the long-serving CEO of Cohu Inc., a company he has been with for over 31 years. He took the helm as CEO in June 2000 and also was appointed Chairman of the Board in March 2010. Donahue led the company through challenging times, including restructuring during the 2008 financial crisis, when the board reduced executive salaries to cope with the downturn. Under his leadership, Cohu has focused on the semiconductor sector, which includes developing equipment for chip testing and packaging. The performance-based pay structure he worked with is designed to tie executive compensation closely to the company’s success. In his tenure, he has maintained a consistent salary while the company's performance metrics, such as sales and operational income, directly influenced bonuses. In 2014, his total compensation nearly reached $2.4 million, showing how the financial success of the company aligns with leadership rewards. Beyond financials, Donahue's commitment to stock ownership has been evident, as he was required to own three times his salary in Cohu stock, further aligning his interests with those of shareholders. As he continues to lead Cohu, his long-standing experience in the semiconductor space positions him strategically to navigate this competitive field.