Edward J. Zander | |
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Born |
Brooklyn, New York |
January 12, 1947
Education | Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Master of Business Administration from Questrom School of Business |
Known for | IT executive |
Edward J. Zander (born January 12, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American business executive. He was CEO and Chairman of the Board of Motorola from January 2004 until January 2008, remaining as chairman until May 2008. His work in the technology sector included management positions at Data General and Apollo Computer before joining Sun Microsystems in 1987, where he was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer and President.
After leaving Sun in 2002, he became managing director at Silver Lake Partners, a private-equity firm. He also serves on the board of directors for Jason Foundation for Education, on the science advisory board of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (where he received a degree in electrical engineering), the advisory board for IOCOM Communications, and the advisory board of the Boston University School of Management (where he received his Master of Business Administration and later an honorary D.H.L.). He was also a member of the board of directors at Seagate Technologies from 2002 to 2004, and at Time Warner Inc. from January to May 2007. He has been a member of the board of directors at EagleView Technologies Inc. since 2008.
Zander is the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland (father) and Greece (mother), who couldn't afford college but stressed education to their children. His father reportedly dreamed of being a lawyer but instead settled for a job as a furrier in order to support his ill parents. His mother, blind with glaucoma, emigrated from Greece after her entire family was wiped out by Turkish nationalists in 1922. Growing up, he was given the nickname "Fast Eddie" by his friends because, according to a Boston Globe article, he frequently demonstrated the "hustle of a street kid spoiling for a good fight." Zander himself remarked, "I'm from New York, so I'm New York fast" (June 19, 2000). Zander attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and graduated in the class of 1968. Zander is married to Mona Zander, and the couple have two sons.