Delbert W. Yocam (born December 24, 1943) is an American businessman who was CEO and chairman of Borland, former president, COO and director of Tektronix and a former Apple Computer executive. At Apple, during the 1980s, Yocam ran the Apple II group and later became Apple's first chief operating officer (COO). He served on the board of directors at Adobe Systems.
He joined Apple Computer in 1979 as vice president of manufacturing and operations. He was the executive vice president and general manager of the Apple II group from 1983 until 1985. From 1986 until 1988, he served as executive vice president and Apple's first chief operating officer (COO). After three years as COO, Yocam became president of Apple Pacific.[3] In this position, Yocam was responsible for strengthening Apple's markets in Canada, Australia, and Japan, while investing in emerging markets in the Far East and Latin America. He retired from Apple on his tenth anniversary in 1989.[4]
Yocam was president, chief operating officer (COO), and a board director of Tektronix, Inc.[5] He joined the Beaverton, Oregon, manufacturer of test and measurement equipment, computer graphics products, and television systems in 1992. He is credited with turning around the company, providing eight consecutive quarters of improved core operating income and with refocusing the company's research and development spending, so that more than 50 percent of revenues came from new products, compared with 22 percent in 1991. He was originally tapped to replace the CEO, Jerry Meyer, on Meyer's retirement, but when Meyer put those plans on hold, Yocam quit.[6] His three-year contract was completed in 1995.
Yocam was chairman and CEO of Borland International, Inc., Scotts Valley, California, a provider of software and services from 1996 through 1999.[7] He resigned after the acquisition of Visigenics Software was completed in 1999 and the company posted a $10.5 million loss for the 3rd quarter.[8]
Board positions
Yocam served on the board of directors of Adobe Systems Inc. (1991–2009),[9] Oracle Corp. (1992–1997),[10] Xircom, Inc. (1996–2001) (acquired by Intel Corp. in 2001),[11] Raster Graphics, Inc. (1995–1999), Hollywood Park, Inc. (1997–1998), Boomtown, Inc. (1995–1997) (acquired by Hollywood Park, Inc. in 1997), Integrated Measurement Systems, Inc. (1995–1997), Sapiens International Corp. (1995–1997), and AST Research, Inc. (1992–1995).[12]
Yocam also served on the board of directors of The Tech Museum of Innovation (1987–1990, Vice Chairman 1989–1990) on the national board of directors of the American Electronics Association (1989), and on the special advisory council to the Office of Technology Assessment of the United States Congress (1986–1988).
A Conversation with Del Yocam – Nathan Bennett & Stephen A. Mile (pg. 110–115), Riding Shotgun, the Role of the COO (2006) ISBN0-8047-5166-8, Stanford Business Books
Miracle Men – Kenny MacIver & Robert L. Glass (pg. 13–20), Computing Calamities: Lessons Learned From Products, Projects, and Companies that Failed (1998) ISBN0-13-082862-9, Prentice Hall PTR
