Mark Shepherd Jr., the former Texas Instruments president, CEO and chairman who helped expand the company’s semiconductor manufacturing and international reach, died February 4, 2009, at age 86. He died at his ranch in Quitman, Texas; contemporary reports attributed his death to complications of pulmonary fibrosis.
Who was Mark Shepherd Jr.?
Shepherd was an electrical engineer and longtime Texas Instruments executive. He joined Geophysical Service Inc.—the predecessor to TI—in 1948 and advanced through engineering and semiconductor-management roles. His career connected technical work in electronics with the challenge of producing semiconductor technologies at scale.
Born in Dallas on January 18, 1923, Shepherd graduated from high school at 14. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University in 1942 and a master’s degree in the same field from the University of Illinois in 1947. During World War II, he served as a U.S. Navy lieutenant specializing in radar and electronics maintenance aboard the USS Tucson.
The National Academy of Engineering’s memorial says Shepherd built his first crystal radio at about age seven. EE Times, recounting a family recollection, instead says he built a vacuum tube in his garage at six and a radio the following year. The accounts describe different early devices and should be attributed separately rather than combined.
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What roles did Shepherd hold at Texas Instruments?
| Role | Dates |
|---|---|
| Executive vice president and chief operating officer | 1961 |
| Board member | From 1963 |
| President | From 1967 |
| Chief executive officer | From 1969 |
| Chairman and CEO | 1976–1984 |
| Chairman and chief corporate officer | 1984–1985 |
| Chairman | 1985–April 1988 |
| General director | Until 1993 |
TI’s historical biography records the executive titles through April 1988. The National Academy of Engineering says Shepherd retired from active employment in 1985, remained chairman until 1988 and served as a general director until 1993. Thus, his chairmanship lasted from 1976 to 1988, while his later board service continued after he left active employment.
Why was Shepherd important to the semiconductor industry?
The National Academy of Engineering describes Shepherd as a pioneer whose engineering and manufacturing expertise helped take semiconductor technologies from laboratories into mass production. That ability to bridge development and manufacturing helped establish TI as a leading electronics company. His leadership also coincided with the company’s expansion of semiconductor operations in Asia and other regions.
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EE Times associates the period with TI products and technologies including transistor radios, handheld calculators and semiconductors used around the world. Rich Templeton, then TI’s chairman, president and CEO, said Shepherd was “a driving force in establishing TI as one of the first global electronics companies.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did Shepherd’s TI service conclude?
Shepherd retired from active employment in 1985 but continued as chairman through 1988 and as a general director through 1993. A Dallas Morning News obituary characterized his TI leadership span as 1950–1993, culminating in the chairmanship from 1976 to 1988; institutional biographies provide the more specific role dates above.
Quick Recap
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- Color Screen. The screen size is 320 x 240 pixels (3.5 inches diagonal) and the screen resolution is 125 DPI; 16-bit color
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- The TI-30XS MultiView scientific calculator is ideal for general math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Statistics, general science, Biology and Chemistry
Sources and further reading
- EE Times’ report on Shepherd’s death and career
- National Academy of Engineering memorial biography
- Texas Instruments historical biography
- Memorial Tributes: Volume 16, published by the National Academies Press, includes a chapter on Mark Shepherd Jr.
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