Applied Reorganizes Exec Staff

Applied Materials Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., a maker of software and products used to fabricate semiconductor chips, flat panel displays, photovoltaic solar cells, flexible electronics and energy-efficient glass, announced a reorganization of some of its executive staff. Tom St. Dennis will resign as senior vice president and general manager of the Silicon Systems Group, effective Oct. 2. He will be replaced by Randhir Thakur, who has served as senior vice president and general manager of the Display and SunFab Solar Group. Effective immediately, Applied Materials’ solar organizations will be combined under Mark Pinto as senior vice president and general manager of the Energy and Environmental Solutions Group; Pinto will continue to serve as the company’s chief technology officer. Manfred Kershbaum, currently senior vice president and general manager of Applied Global Services (AGS), will become chief of staff. Charlie Pappis, corporate vice president of AGS, will become general manager. Franz Janker will become executive vice president corporate account management, as Applied realigns its sales team to embed sales functions into each of its business groups. There will be no leadership change in the Display Group, the company said, where Jim Scholhammer will continue as general manager. Scholhammer has been a member of the Display executive team since the acquisition of Applied Films in July 2006.