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What is the internal
culture within Supermicro. Do you
still provide those all important daily
breakfasts for the early birds to work
as well as dinner for anyone who works
late. Its also rumored that you are
there helping out? Is this true?
Yes its true and is a very good idea.
Lots of people work with great
dedication and take care of their
families so some really don't have time
for their breakfast. And those working
late don't get home for a dinner.
Therefore it’s very natural for the
company to provide them with some basic
help and convenience. So I believe its
a good strategy and we will continue.
That’s
really good because at the end of the
day it shows your employees that you as
a company are really looking after
them. The small things mean a huge
amount to the workforce.
Yes the company needs an employee for a
long time without our healthy employees
there is no healthy company.
It is also rumoured that you partake in
the final interviewing of all new staff
that could join the company. Why is
this so?
It is also true for senior engineers and
senior sales staff because each member
is important to the company’s future.
So whenever I have the time its my high
priority to see who can be our new
member. Making sure that new member has
a good feed into our company.
That’s
really good as there are a few people
out there who do this and you are a man
who likes the hands on approach.
People are the most important asset to a
company, that’s why I interview a new
employee when I can make it a high
priority
What do
you as a company foresee as your biggest
opportunity is going to be in the forth
coming 12 months.
For example possibly some of the new
products; any special new
features,
and the new products what
of their major advantages over your
competitors and predecessor products.
As an engineering company, Nehalem is
now fully available to industry and with
our brand new innovations the 2U twin
squared architecture with optimised GPU
optimised platforms which are coming
soon. Cluster and data censer
management software, also coming soon
new storage architecture, SBB and SSBB –
a superset of SBB. With all those
products Supermicro has a very good
chance to grow our business.
Do you
see at all Supermicro being a complete
technology house or a just a delivery
house for its current partners; as we
have to be honest the IT industry is
changing rapidly. Some say for the
better others not so, what are your
thoughts on these points.
Supermicro's beginning came from server
boards and server bare bone solutions
and then rack solutions and then Data
centres moving onwards to super computer
solutions. Yes we try to make ourselves
a total solutions provider, including
management software to our customers and
the direction we have been growing has
been very smoothly indeed step by
step. I believe very soon we will be
one of the key providers as a provider
of complete total computer solutions,
including servers, storage and graphics
workstations.
You are
a private person which many respect,
though possibly if its not too imposing
would you mind disclosing to us some of
your hobbies, likes and dislikes and
what you like to do when you leave the
office.
I like to grow trees a lot or grow a
forest in time. Though I do have an
allergy problem which interferes. But
still I like nature a lot, so every
quarter I like to plant and grow some
trees. And last year I am very pleased
to say I founded a charitable foundation
called the Green Earth Foundation.
This foundations short term goal is to
grow a demo forest and then forests
around the world; so that is a very
enjoyable hobby to me. I play golf
and I will try to build an earth
friendly golf course. Enjoying walking
and of course planting those important
trees.
Indeed I am a very happy man, possibly
inefficiency would be my key
dislikes but hate my hay fever, though
kind of getting old (great laughter
ensues here). Before I work a good 16
hour day and now don't know what tires
me out - but now I know what is the
cause that tires me out.
Finally,
if granted just one wish in life what
would that be (once more laughter ensued
around the table).
I believe the building of
a great forest on earth and medical
expert
systems is still my
dream. And everyone cares for their
health the most. So 30 years ago I had
the dream of building a medical expert
system that still would be one of the
most important missions in my mind and
in my dreams.
Charles our sincere
thanks for your time and effort today
and coming in to talk so openly over
these questions with us for the
readership. It really is appreciated.
We thank you also for
taking the time to come and see us.
Also for all the great articles that you
have written for us. Let us work more
closely together with us demonstrating
to the world our high efficiency
workstations, servers and gaming
machines. This in turn will help the
world to be a greener and less polluted
place.
Within
the beginning we stated "where does all
this enthusiasm stem from", then look no
further as its all there. The man
bolsters with complete dedication and
unreserved pride of what he has built
over these years. Throughout the
interview you could not help but be
completely in awe being met with so much
meticulous and sincere personal
dedication. This has been emphasised
repeatedly on how Supermicro strives to
produce systems of great efficiency and
yet at the same time ensuring wherever
possible complete them to be as green as
possible. We saw much more of this
painstaking dedication at later points
in the day. It does have to be said
though the complete interview was
extremely relaxed and at times,
boisterous laughter echoed around the
board room to some more private
matters. |
