Earl Floyd Kvamme (born 1938) is an American engineer, venture capitalist, and government advisor.

Early life

The son of Norwegian immigrant parents, Kvamme grew up in

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

graduating from

Jefferson High School This is a list of memorials to Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd president of the United States and the author of the United States Declaration of Independence. Buildings Elementary schools *Jefferson Elementary School, in Cammack Village, Arkansas *Thoma ...

Daly City Daly City () is the second most populous city in San Mateo County, California, United States, with population of 104,901 according to the 2020 census. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and immediately south of San Francisco (sharing its ...

in 1955. He earned a BS in

Electrical Engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

from the University of California, Berkeley in 1959 and an MS in Semiconductor Materials Science and Engineering from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

in 1962.

Career

In 1967, Kvamme was one of the original members of a team to establish new National Semiconductor headquarters in Silicon Valley. In 1982, Kvamme became Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for

Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company b ...

. While at Apple, he was instrumental in deciding to air the

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...

advertisement.Intrigue grows over 'Hillary' video / Mysterious maker of 'viral' attack piece reveals a few clues to identity via e-mail
/ref> He has been a director (and later ''Partner Emeritus'') at venture capital firm

Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers Kleiner Perkins, formerly Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), is an American venture capital firm which specializes in investing in incubation, early stage and growth companies. Since its founding in 1972, the firm has backed entrepreneurs ...

since March 1984. In the corporate world he has served on the

boards Board or Boards may refer to: Flat surface * Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat ** Plank (wood) ** Cutting board ** Sounding board, of a musical instrument * Cardboard (paper product) * Paperboard * Fiberboard ** Hardboard, ...

Brio Technology Brio Technology was a San Francisco Bay area software company cofounded in 1984 by Yorgen Edholm and Katherine Glassey. The company is best known for their business intelligence software systems, starting with DataPivot on the Apple Macintosh. Brio ...

GemfireHarmonic
National Semiconductor
Photon DynamicsPower Integrations
an
Silicon Genesis
In the public realm, he is best known for his appointment by President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

to be Co-Chairman of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) in 2001; Kvamme has also advised every president from

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

. Kvamme previously served as Chairman of advocacy group

Empower America FreedomWorks is a conservative and libertarian advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. FreedomWorks trains volunteers, assists in campaigns, and encourages them to mobilize, interacting with both fellow citizens and their political represent ...

. He serves on the board of the National Venture Capital Association. In 1998, Kvamme served as Chairman of th
California State Electronic Commerce Advisory Council
for Governor Pete Wilson's administration. Kvamme came out in support of

Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...

in his 2008 US Presidential Campaign. In 2012, Kvamme supported

Rick Perry James Richard Perry (born March 4, 1950) is an American politician who served as the 14th United States secretary of energy from 2017 to 2019 and as the 47th governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015. Perry also ran unsuccessfully for the Republica ...

in his US Presidential Campaign, and was a member of his California finance team.Rick Perry, in Silicon Valley, defends NH speech - SFGate
/ref>

Bibliography

*'Chapter 19: How Technology Can Lead a Boom', in '' The 4% Solution: Unleashing the Economic Growth America Needs'', Brendan Miniter (ed.),

George W. Bush Institute The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which opened on April 25, 2013, is a complex that includes former United States President George W. Bush's Presidential library system, presidential library and museum, the George W. Bush Policy Institute, ...

, New York: Crown Business, 2012, pp 261–278.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kvamme, E. Floyd 1938 births Living people Engineers from New York (state) American people of Norwegian descent San Jose Sharks owners UC Berkeley College of Engineering alumni Syracuse University alumni Kleiner Perkins people