Article by kai jarmon

David Jarmon

International Businessman : A Profile of David jarmon

International Businessman: A Profile of David Jarmon

By Kai Jarmon

J

2

ets sound as the plane

Jarmon, I asked if he believed

throughout Jarmon’s journey

begins to taxi. Jarmon's

international business has in-

of business.

fingers quickly dart key to key

creased business for smaller

been a combination of a long

across a computer keyboard,

companies. Jarmon responded

time customer, co-worker, and

squeezing in one last email.

commenting “Absolutely. Also

friend of Mr. Jarmon for mul-

The flight attendant walks by

I think the world has become a

tiple years. When Tewell was

requesting Mr. Jarmon stow

much smaller place. My whole

asked what skills Jarmon pos-

his computer as the plane is

career has been focused on

sesses that makes him such

Rick Tewell has

about to take off.

a

This is the life of

ternational

David Jarmon, an

nessman,

international busi-

responded stating

nessman. Mr. Jar-

“You

mon is the Senior

somebody

Vice President of

never worked with

Worldwide

someone in Japan,

Sales

successful

can’t

busiTewell take who’s

and Business De-

or

velopment

for

someone in Ger-

Verisilicon, an in-

many, or worked

ternational

with someone in

semi-

worked

in-

with

conductor services company.

the

industry

China and have them success-

As Senior Vice President, Jar-

but the industry has really

fully interact with someone

mon is constantly traveling

morphed over time.” Mr. Jar-

from that culture in a business

across the United States, Eu-

mon’s comment is formed by

setting, it’s something that

rope, and Asia to meet with

his lifetime of experience in

has to be learned over time. I

current and potential custom-

the field and his multiple high

think that the many years of

ers and to visit his team spread

level positions. Throughout his

Dave’s experience of doing that

around the globe.

career, Jarmon has met many

is really what is represented

David’s years of internation-

other outstanding business-

today in terms of ease of do-

al experience has led to a vast

men along the way. One man

ing that.” The intersection of

career in the semiconductor

in particular has been incred-

curiosity and business has led

business. In an interview with

ibly helpful and influential

to Jarmon’s longtime busi-

semiconductor

ness experience in the field of

works and semiconductors then

Japan Operations for Cooper

semiconductors and intellec-

I knew that was something I

& Chyan Technology. Jarmon

tual property, demonstrated by

would be interested in doing

then moved onto Silicon Per-

his wide spectrum of jobs and

the rest of my life.” After jug-

spective Corporation where he

many different residences.

gling different majors Jarmon

became the Vice President of

finally decided on Electrical

International Sales. Silicon Per-

in Houston, Texas it seemed

Engineering.

spective was then acquired by

that David Jarmon was des-

his educa-

tined to be an international

mon

tycoon.

Jarmon grew up in

Born on September 29, 1959

Th ro ugho ut Jar-

Cadence Design Systems where

a l w ay s

Jarmon became the Vice Presi-

c u ri -

o u s

dent of Customer Driven R&D.

both Houston and Dallas Texas

ho w

t h e

Recently, Mr. Jarmon worked

learning simple cultural differ-

world

was

tion,

for Vivante Corporation as the

ences in his home state “From

Senior Vice President of Global

a very early age he’s had ex-

Sales and Business Develop-

posure to other cultures, he’s

ment. In the past year, Vivante

from Texas which is a culture in

was acquired by Verisilicon

it of it’s own that was probably

Incorporated. “Verisilicon is a

a pretty good start.”

Tewell,

larger company so I am respon-

who currently lives in Austin,

sible for worldwide sales for the

Texas explains David’s early ex-

worke d .

posure to a variety of cultures,

This curi-

one of the many factors of Jar-

led Jarmon to dis-

company we have a run rate osity

[the financial success of a com-

cover

pany over time] of over $200

mon’s international success. In

his love for science, “Physics led

million per year and I’m re-

his college years, Jarmon at-

me to Electrical Engineering

sponsible for the total revenue

tended the University of Texas

I learned how to do scientific

number.”

at Austin where he changed

programing and that led me to

the same position of Senior

majors many times “When I

a curiosity in how computers

Vice President of Worldwide

was a junior I changed my ma-

work.”

Sales at Verisilicon.

jor several times because I got

education, Mr. Jarmon worked

As Senior VP, Jarmon’s

interested in a number of dif-

in many companies in Texas,

responsibilities include a vari-

ferent things.

Many things

Oregon, and Japan until finally

ety of tasks ranging from con-

that I studied I was interested

settling down in Silicon Valley.

ducting customer meetings to

in but once I found program-

After many years in the tech-

keeping in touch with his team.

ming and software writing

nology field Jarmon’s career re-

“I have 45 people on my team.”

large scale programs and learn-

ally took off when he was hired

Jarmon said, “But I think more

ing how computer architecture

as the Managing Director of

importantly my team is the

After completing his

Jarmon now holds

3

“Y

ou can’t take somebody who’s never worked with someone in Japan, or worked with someone in Germany, or worked with someone in China and have them successfully interact with someone from that culture in a business setting it’s something that has to be learned over time. I think that the many years of Dave’s experience of doing that is really what is represented today in terms of ease of doing that.” - Rick Tewell

direct interface with custom-

ing their requirements. In ad-

is the planning phase: “In this

ers and we work very closely

dition to the staying in contact

planning phase, I need to try

with the engineering teams to

with colleagues and customers,

to arrange meetings, arrange

help them focus what products

Jarmon’s job requires him to

people’s times and coordinate

they are developing and where

constantly travel on business

those with travel schedules”

to put our resources in terms

trips. “Usually a business trip

(Jarmon).

of customer engagements and

is pretty hectic” Jarmon ex-

is planned down to every last

new

plains,

detail in order to spend time

product

engagements.”

“I

try to

For Mr. Jarmon, there is no av-

e f f i - ciently. The goal of the

erage day at work. At the of-

customer meetings is

fice or on the plane his drive

usually to set up a fol-

does not change. Although

low-up meeting in or-

Jarmon’s daily tasks are al-

der to continue the de-

ways changing one task

cision making process.

seems to stay con-

Jarmon’s multiple tasks

stant “these days I’m

range from responding to

doing a lot of email and com-

emails to traveling the globe

munication trying to find what

4

Jarmon’s schedule

to meet with customers.

are the most critical actions

cram as many customer visits

Business inside of the U.S is

that need to be addressed.”

as I can.” International travel is

challenging in itself, then add

During the work day, Jarmon

arguably the most important

in the challenges of language

works to connect with his col-

part of Jarmon’s job as it is im-

barriers and time differences

leagues and other people he is

perative to meet customers in

which make global business

working with to make sure ev-

person. In order to meet with

so difficult. However, through

erything is in order. More im-

as many customers as possible,

years of experience in the field,

portantly, Mr. Jarmon focuses

Mr. Jarmon splits the business

Jarmon has mastered the pro-

on staying in constant contact

trip process into two parts. The

cess of international business.

with his customers understand-

first and most important part

The biggest obstacles when

real strength of Silicon Valley is that engineers in Silicon Valley can think about a problem differently. “If there’s a market requirement, they need to meet in 4 months and for a typical Japanese

engineering

team

[or] a typical U.S engineering team that might be a 2 year project.”(Jarmon) This type of creativity is equally important and sometimes absent in some cultures. (Jarmon) After milconducting business interna-

and American engineers that

tionally are the changes when

have gone to school overseas,

traveling to another country.

so it’s a globalized business but

“The obvious challenge in an-

each region of the world brings

other country is the time zone

a different focus that has their

challenge, so I need to be flex-

cultural strengths and weak-

ible with customers in other

nesses.”

areas.” (Jarmon)

In order to

observation, Jarmon has also

call at a convenient time for

learned that working with Jap-

the customer, Jarmon says he

anese customer can increase

counteracts this issue by ad-

the quality of the products

justing his sleep schedule to

that are produced “Japanese

either wake up earlier or go to

engineers pay a lot of attention

sleep later. Even though there

to detail in that way German

is a span of differences in cul-

engineers are similar.” How-

ture across international busi-

ever, Mr. Jarmon has equally

ness there are many similari-

learned that although those

ties in the engineers working

culture have their strengths in

throughout different countries.

that they are excellent in engi-

Working with German, French,

neering practice and they pay

and Japanese customers Jar-

a lot of attention to detail, but

mon has discovered “customers

they have difficulty in really

that went to school in the U.S

thinking outside the lines. The

In addition to this

lions of miles of international travel, Jarmon’s knowledge displays his vast knowledge of international business.

Touching down, the wheels screech on the tarmac as the plane lands.

Regaining cell

phone service Jarmon catches up on customer emails. As this journey ends, Jarmon knows it is just a gateway to another trip. Jarmon’s work is non-stop part of what makes him so successful. David Jarmon has combined his years of experience in the semiconductor business with his vast knowledge of other cultures to become an ideal international businessman.

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Works Cited Jarmon, David. Personal interview. 7 April 2016.

---. Personal interview. 19 April 2016.

Simnacher, Ben. Personal interview. 17 April 2016.

Tewell, Rick. Personal interview. 14 April 2016.

Montgomery, Mike. “Tech Startups Weigh The Merits Of Austin Vs. Silicon Valley.” Forbes.

Forbes Magazine, 19 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

“David Jarmon.” Management Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.

Griffith, David A., Michael Y. Hu, and John K. Ryans. “Process Standardization Across Intra

and Inter-cultural Relationships”. Journal of International Business Studies 31.2 (2000): 303–324.

Web...

“American Vs. Chinese Business Culture.” American Vs. Chinese Business Culture. N.p., n.d. WWW

Web. 15 Mar. 2016.”American Vs. Chinese Business Culture.” American Vs. Chinese Business Cul-

ture. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

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