Richard P. Wallace is the CEO of KLA Corporation, where he has spent over 34 years. Starting as an applications engineer in 1988, he climbed up the ranks, becoming the CEO in January 2006 and also the President in 2008....
Richard P. Wallace is the CEO of KLA Corporation, where he has spent over 34 years. Starting as an applications engineer in 1988, he climbed up the ranks, becoming the CEO in January 2006 and also the President in 2008. With a solid engineering background from the University of Michigan and a master's from Santa Clara University, Wallace knows his stuff. He has also held key roles at Ultratech Stepper and Cypress Semiconductor before joining KLA. His leadership style focuses on performance-driven growth and aligning what executives make with shareholder interests, which you can see in his impressive 2022 compensation of over $20 million, much of it tied to company performance targets. He is a significant shareholder, holding common stock valued at around $180 million. This truly shows he’s invested in the company's future. Moreover, he previously served as Chairman of the Board for SEMI, an important industry group. Wallace is not just a numbers guy; he emphasizes creativity and innovation in the tech field, particularly within the semiconductor industry. KLA Corporation, under his guidance, has navigated through tough industry changes and has positioned itself as one of the leading players in semiconductor manufacturing and technology.