Former Spansion CEO with a proven exceptional track record of growing companies will join Black Diamond's team to focus on helping entrepreneurs build and grow enduring technology companies and expand the firm's investor base
GLENDALE, Calif., March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Diamond Ventures (BDV) is pleased to announce the addition of John Kispert as Managing Partner. In this role, Kispert will help lead fundraising efforts, expanding BDV's "deal by deal" structure into a unique investment model, while providing a broader investor base access to a myriad of investment opportunities.
"John will be an outstanding addition to BDV. He has an outstanding track record in driving companies to market leadership and most recently, successfully revitalized Spansion. We are fortunate to have an executive of John's caliber and experience as part of our team," said Chris Lucas, founder and Managing Director of BDV. "I look forward to working with John to expand our capabilities and offer new investment opportunities."
Prior to joining BDV, Kispert was CEO of Spansion. Kispert's expertise in building and positioning companies for growth will be invaluable to BDV's portfolio of companies and diverse group of investors. His broad experience and network will be an asset as he mentors BDV's entrepreneurs to ensure success, while building long-term relationships and strategic partnerships.
"Joining Black Diamond presents an exciting opportunity to work with management teams of leading innovators and do what I love: drive growth, provide mentorship and work with some of the brightest minds in their respective industries," said Kispert.
Prior to joining Spansion, Kispert spent 13 years in a number of executive management roles at KLA-Tencor, including president and chief operations officer. Kispert also held several senior management positions with IBM. He currently serves on the board of directors of Cypress Semiconductors, Gigamon Inc., Extreme Networks, TriNet and Tela Innovations. Kispert received his bachelor's degree in political science from Grinnell College and his MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles.
About Black Diamond Ventures (BDV)
Black Diamond Ventures (BDV) is a venture capital firm that provides investors the opportunity to invest alongside institutional investors and first-tier venture capital firms in technology-leading companies. BDV considers a myriad of prospective investment opportunities, choosing companies developing market-transforming products or technologies, including telecommunications, biotechnology, medical devices, semiconductor design, mobile applications and clean technology sectors.
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SOURCE Black Diamond Ventures
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