Committee Members
John Blake
John graduated in 1985, with a Bachelor in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from University College Cork, Ireland.
From 1985 to 2007, he worked in various engineering and business roles with Analog Devices in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the USA.
After the business he was running was sold to ON Semiconductor at the end of 2007, he moved with it to lead the new business within ON to ensure a successful integration of the team and business. Since mid 2011, he has been concentrating on leading ON Semiconductor’s Design Centre in Limerick, Ireland.
John is the Current Chairman of MIDAS Ireland, having previously led the MIDAS training activities during 2010.
Mark Barry
Mark is currently executive director of the Microelectronics Competence Centre Ireland (MCCI) with a mission to create jobs and exports in Irish companies through industry-led microelectronics research.
Before joining MCCI, Mark was with S3 Group where he was responsible for the incubation of all new silicon products and services.
Prior to this Mark worked overseas holding management positions in both start-ups and large multinational companies such as Lucent Bell Labs.
Mark is an IEEE Senior Member and is principal inventor of 4 US patents.
MCCI web-site: http://www.mcci.ie
Michael Grufferty, MIDAS Treasurer
Michael Grufferty was one of the foundational members of MIDAS Ireland in 2000. He has served as Treasurer on the Executive Committee since then, responsible for finance, administration, training and industry membership development.
Michael has worked in close collaboration with state agencies in Ireland in the establishment of the MIDAS-related MCCI Technology Centre, hosted at Tyndall in collaboration with UL and UCC.
He is Head of Industry Innovation at Tyndall National Institute and is currently focused on the establishment of an industry-led International Energy Research Centre (IERC), to be hosted at Tyndall.
Michael brings multi-sector experience in international marketing, business operations and innovation management to the MIDAS Ireland industry-academia membership network.
Chris Campbell, MIDAS Training
Chris Campbell is a Group Manager at S3 with responsibility for mixed-signal IC design services in the Silicon Business Unit at its Cork design centre.
Before joining S3 Group in 2000, Chris was Product Engineering Manager at National Semiconductor in the US with responsibility for release to production of analog converter and reference products. Prior to this, Chris worked in product engineering roles at both National Semiconductor in Scotland and at Philips in the Netherlands.
Chris graduated from University College Cork in 1986 with a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering.
Chris currently chairs the Training Committee in MIDAS.
Ray Speer, MIDAS Research
Ray Speer has 27 years of experience with a mix of multinational and indigenous microelectronics companies. He graduated from UL with a BE in Electronics and ME in Computer Systems. He started his career with Analog Devices where he designed ADC, DAC and GSM products. In 1991 he moved to S3 where he designed mixed-signal video products and worked closely with the Analog Research Centre at the Philips Nat Lab in Eindhoven.
He joined Parthus Technologies as part of the start-up team in 1993 and was VP of Technology responsible for building the Mixed-Signal IC team and business unit which delivered multiple products for applications in Storage, Display, Automotive, Wireless and Consumer. Parthus had a successful IPO on the London and Nasdaq Stock Exchanges in May 2000 and merged with a division of the DSP Group in 2003 to form Ceva Inc.
Ray joined Silansys Technologies in 2003 as Business Dev Director, the company was subsequently acquired by Frontier Silicon, UK.
He returned to his hometown of Letterkenny where he managed the EpiCenter (Electronics, Production & Innovation Centre) at LyIT. This is a managed resource centre which assists local startups and established businesses with technology development and business expansion.
He joined ChipSensors as Co-Founder and Director. ChipSensors was a Fabless Semiconductor company making embedded silicon sensors for Temperature and Humidity, Gases and Pathogen Detectors. ChipSensors was acquired by Silicon Labs, Austin, TX, in Oct 2010. Ray currently heads up their Gas Sensor product development.
Ray is Chairman of the MIDAS Research Committee.
Mike Mulqueen, MIDAS Publicity
Mike Mulqueen has over 26 years experience in the semiconductor and computer industries working with large multinational corporations.
He is currently an Engineering Manager at Analog Devices, the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, where he leads a multi-site group developing integrated circuit solutions to control actuators and sensors for portable applications.
Mike has a degree in Electronics and a Masters degree in Computer Systems both from the University of Limerick, Ireland. He is currently a member of the MIDAS executive board where he chairs the Publicity Committee.
Paul McCloskey
Paul McCloskey is at present a Senior Technologist (Electronics) at Enterprise Ireland. This role involves assisting client companies in relation to internal R&D projects and collaboration with third level institutes.
Paul worked for 14 years, in process engineering and product development roles in electronics manufacturing at Bourns Electronics Cork and AVX Ltd Coleraine. From 1998 until 2008, he was a senior researcher at the Tyndall National Institute, with interests in, 'integrated magnetics', 'embedded packaging' and 'integrated flux sensors'.
Paul McCloskey graduated with a BSc (hons) in Chemical Engineering, from the Queens University Belfast in 1981. He also holds an MSc in Energy Studies, obtained in 1984 and an MSc in Microelectronics obtained in 1991, both from the University of Ulster. He is currently completing a part time PhD in magnetic materials from UCC.
Donnacha O'Riordan, MIDAS Indigenous Microelectronics committee
Donnacha has over 16 years experience in the IC design industry and is currently the Director of Services Strategy at S3 Group where he is responsible for expanding & accelerating the services development activities, ensuring alignment of Services, IP and Product roadmaps and the development of strategic relationships across the whole silicon value chain.
Prior to this Donnacha spent over seven years in Silicon Valley where he held several technical and management positions in both start-up and large international organizations.
Donnacha has a B.ENg (Hons) from CIT and is currently completing a MSc in Technology Management through the Atlantic University Alliance.
In MIDAS, Donnacha chairs the committee responsible for promoting the indigenous microelectronics sector.
Dermot Barry
Dermot Barry has served as S3 Group's Vice President of the Silicon Business Unit since January 2006. Dermot's role involves setting the strategic direction for S3 Group's System-on-Chip (SoC) design services business and the Mixed Signal IP product portfolio.
Dermot has full responsibility for global sales and operations and manages key strategic relationships, delivering successful solutions to OEM and Semiconductor clients in North America, Europe and Asia. In the period 2000 to 2005 Dermot was General Manager of the Wireless Systems Business Unit at S3 Group.
Prior to re-joining S3 Group Dermot worked with Cadence Design Systems, from 1997-2000, as a Senior Sales Manager for Design Services in UK and Israel, again broadening his expertise and experience in the industry.
Dermot first joined S3 Group in 1994 where he served in various Sales & Business Development roles, rising to become Vice President of US Sales & Business Development at S3 Group where he drove S3 Group's initial ventures into the North American marketplace while based in San Jose.
Dermot started his career as a Research & Development Engineer for Philips Research in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, from 1985-1994 where he was responsible for analogue IC design focusing on ICs for mobile, broadcast and cordless communications.
Dermot is well known in the industry and is a key member of S3 Group's management team.
As well as his role with MIDAS he also currently serves on the Design Advisory Board of the NMI.
Dermot graduated from University College Dublin in 1985 with a 1st Class Degree in Electronic Engineering.
Donal Flavin
Donal Flavin is Vice President, Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) Division, IDA Ireland, which is Ireland’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) agency.
Donal has responsibility for advising and assisting ICT companies, including microelectronics companies, locate strategic operations in Ireland. These include manufacturing, R&D, international/EMEA HQ and shared services operations.
Katherine Barry
Katherine Barry is the MIDAS Co-ordinator and has been in this role since 2000. She is based at Tyndall National Institute, Cork.
