Santa Clara, CA
glenn_hu
About hues
Glenn Hughes is the Director of Global Learning and Leadership Development for KLA-Tencor Corporation - the world's leading supplier of process control and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related microelectronics industries.
KLA-Tencor's Training Departments were named to TRAINING Magazine's "Top 10 Hall of Fame" in 2008.
Over the past 20 years, as an engineer and operations manager, Glenn has worked side-by-side with leading global companies like Intel, Samsung, IBM, Toshiba, NEC, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Chartered Semiconductor, and TSMC.
Glenn was born in Watertown, New York and earned his Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology at DeVry University in Columbus, Ohio.
Glenn's career has had three distinct phases:
- Manufacturing and Customer Service Engineer
In 1987, Glenn began work at KLA Instruments, in California, as a Manufacturing Test Engineer, where he learned about innovation, quality, and problem solving.
In 1992, Glenn moved to Burlington, Vermont, to work with IBM on the integration and support of a new wafer inspection system. As a Customer Support Engineer, he received hands-on experience with satisfying customer needs and expectations.
Life changed for Glenn and his wife Angie in 1993, as they took an assignment in Japan to support KLA-Tencor's Asia business growth. It was to be a one year assignment, but they didn't return until 2003.
Glenn's first assignment was to train Japanese field service engineers. This assignment required frequent travel on the Shinkansen across the length of Japan. Glenn filled that time by reading over 100 Japanese books and discussing them with his Japanese co-workers. Glenn formed a fondness for Genji Monogatari, as well as the writings of Kawabata Yasunari, Yosano Akiko, Miyamoto Musashi, Basho, and Donald Ritchie.
When that assignment was complete, a second assignment took Glenn to Osaka, which allowed Glenn and Angie to explore Kyoto and Nara extensively, while continuing to learn and understand Japanese culture and business practices.
- Operations Manager
In 1995, Glenn was promoted to Training Manager at the new KLA Yokohama office. Glenn learned his first management lessons in Japan, developing - by necessity - a blend of East and West methods. At the time, Glenn wondered if those methods would work for him 'back home' in the US.
Glenn standardized training processes and established a new orientation program - H.O.T.A.C.E (Hire, Orient, Test, Assign, Classroom, and Experience) for college graduates. After winning a General Manager's award for his work in 1996, Glenn was asked to be the first Customer Service Manager for Southeast Asia.
In Singapore, Glenn grew the service business and managed a profitable P&L, while establishing inroads to China by selling the first service contracts in Beijing and staffing the first office in Shanghai for KLA-Tencor.
He also made time to explore the diverse cultures of the region - reading the Ramayana, Journey to the West, and The Three Kingdoms; immersing himself in the cinema of Zhang Yimou, Wong Kar Wai, and Tsui Hark; and traveling throughout Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Cambodia.
In 1998, Glenn returned to Japan as the Deputy Director of Technical Support, Training, and Installations. In this role, Glenn managed a large team and coordinated continuous improvement programs with Toshiba, NEC, Fujitsu, and SUMCO.
From 1998 - 2002, Glenn kept an online record of his Asian experiences. His website "Range of Vision" twice won "Best of Tripod" recognition. Glenn also wrote a monthly column for the travel website PlanetExpat, and won honorable mention in the 2002 Hong Kong Tourism Association Photo Competition.
Upon his return to California in 2003, Glenn worked in Customer Operations - first as a Cost of Service Manager, then as Senior Manager of Customer Operations. From these positions, Glenn was able to push a program he was passionate about - the 'glocalization' of product installation teams. Glenn wanted to see teams based close to the customer and skilled in the local cultures - teams that would also excel on a world stage. Over the next three years, that vision became a reality - resulting in higher satisfaction, faster install times, and lower costs.
Glenn has realized that the management lessons he learned in Japan and Singapore enabled him to succeed in the evolving global economy.
As quoted in the Jan, 2008 issue of TRAINING Magazine (download the issue here) - Glenn is a firm believer that the "primary reason for going overseas should be to deliver a better product or service, not to save money. There are ways to save money by moving certain operations overseas, but you can't make that your focus".
- Learning and Development
In 2005, Glenn was asked to give input on the global direction of KLA-Tencor's Corporate Learning Center. During a series of discussions, he was offered the opportunity to create the Asia Learning program.
Combining Glenn's passions for culture and learning, with an opportunity to apply the lessons he learned as an operations manager, this was exactly the kind of opportunity he was looking for.
As Director of Global Learning and Leadership Development, Glenn owns the design and delivery of global learning programs. With learning partners in India, Singapore, and Taiwan - Glenn and his team are responsible for building and maintaining the level of learning that has earned KLA-Tencor "Hall of Fame" status.
Today, Glenn and Angie live in Santa Clara, California, while traveling 40% of the year as Glenn 'accelerates learning' throughout KLA-Tencor.
Glenn is an avid photographer and ‘amateur anthropologist’ – often attending local festivals and events, wherever he is.
Santa Clara, CA
glenn_hu
