Founded in 1982 by Silicon Valley technology visionary T.J. Rodgers, Cypress Semiconductor Corp. is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of microchips for use in consumer electronic, data communication, telecommunication and personal computing devices. Traded on Nasdaq (CY), the company has more than 4,000 employees worldwide, with divisions in the United States, India and the Philippines. The company also operates a venture capital group that invests in high-technology startups. Cypress reported revenues of $668 million for 2009, down 12.8 percent from 2008.
LEGAL TEAM AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL
General Counsel Victoria Tidwell, 36, heads a legal department of six lawyers and five support staff, located at the company’s San Jose headquarters. The department is responsible for managing all of Cypress’ legal and regulatory matters, including mergers and acquisitions, venture investments (and other strategic transactions), both SEC and Nasdaq compliance, litigation, commercial contracts, corporate governance, export compliance, employment law and immigration matters. Her team also manages the company’s considerable IP portfolio.
