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After four years with palmOne, Inc., Angel Mendez ’82 recently left his position as senior vice president and head of global operations to become senior vice president of worldwide manufacturing at Cisco Systems, Inc.
“The opportunity to lead Cisco’s manufacturing team, a worldwide group of almost 2,000 people, and the ability to influence and support Cisco’s strategy were just too good to pass up,” he says. “I’m excited about the ability to help expand the utility of the Internet to help improve people’s lives, whether it’s at work or at play.”
While at palmOne, Mendez developed and executed an operational excellence program that transformed the way the company manufactures, distributes, and supports its products. Prior to this position, he served as vice president of global supply chain management at Gateway and held leadership roles for principal companies in a variety of industries.
With Cisco, he will be responsible for the forecasting, production planning, manufacturing, and distribution of all of the company’s products.
“My overarching goal is to take an already excellent team and process to the next level of performance and productivity,” says Mendez, an electrical engineering graduate. “We want to continue to lead in the areas of cost management, inventory velocity, and quality.”
Mendez values the advice he received as a student from John Greco, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Warren Guy, professor emeritus and former head of electrical engineering.
“I am also especially grateful to Barry McCarty [dean of enrollment services],” he says. “He met me when I was a junior in high school and without his guidance and the financial aid package he orchestrated, I would have never been able to attend Lafayette.”
“My Lafayette education has been instrumental in my ability to think logically and understand technology,” he adds. “Both have been critical to my career success to date.”