Mr. Gene Frantz

Principal Fellow at Texas Instruments, he was responsible for finding new opportunities and creating new businesses utilizing TI?s Digital Signal Processing technology (DSP). He has been described as visionary, catalyst, enabler, teacher, mentor, seeker and finder. He is a recognized leader in DSP technology both within TI and throughout the industry, and is considered the ?father of DSP?. This experience started most notably, with the launch of the Speak & Spell learning toy. That toy was the start of a DSP revolution that would forever change the technology landscape. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Electric and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He holds 45 patents in the area of memories, speech, consumer products and DSP. He has written more than 50 Papers and articles and continually presents at Universities and conferences worldwide. He is also among industry experts widely quoted in the media due to his tremendous knowledge and visionary view of DSP solutions. He retired from TI on February 2, 2013 after 39-years, but it is said; ?in reality, he is really starting the next phase of his career?. He will join the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at Rice. In that role, he will be helping young innovators to bring their ideas to market by stepping back and asking the questions to help decide, what?s not a good product; and then how to make a really great product. His guidance will include everything from technology to getting venture capital and product development. While he promises to remain available for the young engineers at TI to guide and encourage them, he?s cognizant of the need to, ?just move away and make sure there?s room for the young kids to grow.? He is quoted as saying, ?My goal is to look for the next big thing, and what better place than with all those Ph.D students.? He received his B.S.E.E. from University of Central Florida in 1971, M.S.E.E. from Southern Methodist University in 1977, and M.B.A. from Texas Tech University - Rawls College of Business in 1982.