Harlan McGhan

Strategic Marketing Manager, UltraSPARC processors, Sun Microsystems

Harlan McGhan has nearly 20 years of experience with high-performance microprocessors, split between marketing and engineering management. After a two year interlude spent pursuing startup self-actualization, he rejoined Sun Microsystems in 2001 as Strategic Marketing Manager for UltraSPARC processors. Previous positions at Sun Microsystems microelectronics included New Product Definition Manager for SPARC processors (1994-96), Technical Marketing Manager for Volume Products (1996-98), and Group Manager for Architecture Marketing (1998-99).

Prior to Sun, McGhan was with Intergraph Corporation's Advanced Processor Division for six years, including two years spent in the Architecture group helping to develop a VLIW version of Intergraph's Clipper microprocessor; now the basis of several patent infringement lawsuits brought by Intergraph against Intel's Itanium processor line. Still earlier, he was an Engineering Manager at National Semiconductor, with responsibility for all software developed for National's pioneering line of commercial 32-bit microprocessors, the Series 32000.

McGhan has a BA with highest honors from Michigan State University and was a Joseph Henry Fellow at Princeton University, where he received MA and Ph.D. (pending) degrees in the History and Logic of Science.

McGhan will be providing a 2-hour Workshop on SPARC Processor History and Future: The Roadmap to Throughput Computing.