Outstanding Industrial Technologist - 1999

Mr. Lee is in charge of developing the strategy and directing the implementation of quality methods and procedures for all of the Networking Hardware Divisions facilities around the globe. His activities cover the in-house manufacturing and vast supplier base for networking hardware products. By focusing division personnel upon process improvements and manufacturing participation in the early stage of product development, Earl Lee has enhanced his companies ability to be "First to Market" with new products.

Mr. Lee has spent his entire career with IBM since receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Electronic Technology from Norfolk State University in 1984. He entered the management development program at the Endicott Facility as an Engineering Trainee. His performance was such that he progressed to the level of Senior Quality Engineer. He cross trained as Production Department Manager and was later promoted to Quality Assurance Manager for the "Backplane" product line. Following that assignment, he served as Development Engineering Manager for three years working in the Backplane product area. As a result of his successful performance in increasingly responsible positions, Mr. Lee was promoted and transferred to Raleigh, North Carolina as Manager, World -Wide Quality Engineering.

His career has been punctuated by superior performance that contributed to divisional improvement in quality and early product introduction that resulted in improved profit. The Endicott Division exceeded profit goals for three consecutive years while he was Development Engineering Manager. His effort at the Networking Hardware Division to achieve early new product introduction and improved product quality will result in increased market penetration and in improved customer relations.