Executives from Q-Cells and Suntech join SEMI Board

SEMI announced the appointment to its international board of directors of Zhengrong Shi, Ph.D., founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd, and Gerhard Rauter, chief operating officer and member of the Executive Board of Q-Cells SE.

In addition to naming the two new voting board members, the SEMI International Board of Directors bestowed honorary emeritus board member status upon former SEMI Chairman and industry pioneer Ed Segal.

The addition of Gerhard Rauter and Zhengrong Shi represents the first appointment of PV solar manufacturers to the SEMI board, and the first appointment of a SEMI Board member from China. Joining Prof. Eicke R. Weber, Director, Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems on the board, these additions enhance the breadth and depth of the SEMI leadership expertise dedicated to global PV market and technology issues.

Currently, SEMI serves member interests in the solar industry through the PV Group, a SEMI special interest group comprised of over 400 member companies and supported by Regional Advisory Boards around the world.

“Many of the crucial issues facing the solar PV industry today—including standards, technology roadmaps, open markets, and industry advocacy—increasingly require global perspectives and solutions” said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. “With the election of Gerhard Rauter and Zhengrong Shi, the PV Group’s ability to positively affect PV markets worldwide, along with the growth and profitability of our members, will be greatly enhanced.”

Ed Segal, director of Simax Global Services and advisor to Confluence was named an emeritus director of SEMI. Segal was chairman and CEO of Metron Technology from 1995 to 2004. He also served for ten years on the SEMI International Board of Directors, including a term as chairman (2005-2006).

“In recognition of his great dedication and many contributions to SEMI and our global membership, I am also delighted to honor our long-time friend and industry advocate Ed Segal as a distinguished emeritus member of the SEMI board of directors.” said Myers. “For more than a decade Ed supported SEMI as a board member. He was a tireless advocate for our members and is only the tenth person in the nearly forty-year history of our association to earn this distinction.”

The global industry association's 19 voting directors, three non-voting ex-officio and ten emeritus directors, represent companies from Europe, China, Japan, Korea, North America and Taiwan, reflecting the global scope of its activities.

The association's charter stipulates that individuals may be elected as voting members of the board for a total of four, two-year terms and non-voting ex-officio members for a total of three, one-year terms. Rauter and Shi were appointed by the SEMI board to fill two vacated board seats and will be eligible for reelection by regular vote of the membership in 2011.