Amkor founder slides from CEO position to board exec chairman

James Kim will become executive chairman of the assembly and test company with Ken Joyce succeeding him as Amkor's CEO.

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News, 6/30/2009

Amkor Technology Inc has announced that James Kim, founder, chairman, and CEO of the assembly and test services company, will become executive chairman of the board of directors.

Ken Joyce, the Chandler, Ariz-based company's president and COO, will become CEO and president effective October 1. Joyce will also join the board at that time.

“As executive chairman, I will play an active leadership role at Amkor, collaborating with Ken on the strategic direction for the company and key external relationships,” said Kim in a statement. “I have great confidence in Ken and believe this is the right time to make this transition as we continue the succession planning begun more than a year ago when Ken became president and COO.”

Kim founded Amkor's predecessor company, Amkor Electronics Inc, in 1968 and served as its chairman from 1970 to April 1998. He began serving as Amkor's CEO in September 1997.

Joyce, 62, joined Amkor in 1997 and was executive VP and CFO for more than eight years before becoming chief administrative officer in November 2007, COO in February 2008, and president in May 2008.

Prior to joining Amkor, from 1992 to 1997, he served as CFO of Selas Fluid Processing. Joyce is also a former VP of finance and CFO of Selas Corporation of America.