With this episode, we're launching the first in an ongoing series of podcasts where we offer a glimpse into the personal and professional journeys of some of our most remarkable Senior Fellows. We're calling it Senior Fellow Spotlight. We begin this new "spotlight" series with Silicon Valley pioneer Ken Coleman of ALF Class III.

Ken talks about his early life in a small town in southern Illinois, lessons learned from serving as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force, and his eventual move to the Bay Area, where he began a storied career starting with HP in 1972.

In 1999, Ken was named one of the ten most influential African Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2001, he was named one of the top 25 Black executives in technology by Black Enterprise magazine. He is also the recipient of numerous honors, including our very own Exemplary Leader Award; the Ohio State University Distinguished Service Award; the National Alliance of Black School Educators Living Legend Award; the One Hundred Black Men of Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Silicon Valley Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

Ken has served as a member of the Boards of Directors of City National Bank, MIPS Technologies, and United Online. He is currently Chairman at EIS Group Ltd.