Fred's Obituary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
FRED HOAR, SILICON VALLEY PR LEGEND, SUCCUMBS TO PULMONARY FIBROSIS
BURLINGAME, CA, January 6, 2004 - Frederick M. Hoar, a prominent, long-time Silicon Valley public relations and marketing executive, died January 2 after a three-year bout with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 77.
Hoar was one of Silicon Valley's most visible public relations executives. Throughout his career, he helped scores of companies develop and promote their brands, many of which subsequently became visible globally. Hoar worked as a public relations and marketing executive at a number of prominent technology companies, including RCA, Fairchild Semiconductor, Apple Computer and Genentech.
Hoar's energy and enthusiasm for his craft lasted virtually right up until his death. In his latest pursuit, he was the dean's executive professor of marketing at Santa Clara University (SCU), and he continued teaching until six weeks before his death.
"Fred was a man of wonderful energy who brought a special spirit to the valley," said Larry Sonsini, chairman and CEO of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati. "His creativity in building a brand name and placing marketing and communications in the proper perspective in building an enterprise will be greatly missed."
A vibrant, energetic speaker known for his witty insights into high technology, Hoar's speech making was liberally solicited in the business world. "He loved the English language; it was not just happenstance that his address was on Chaucer Street in Palo Alto," commented Mike Markkula, an early investor in Apple Computer and a colleague of Hoar from Apple's embryonic days. Markkula currently is chairman of the board of trustees at SCU.
Hoar spoke at hundreds of occasions in the United States and abroad. Among the organizations he addressed were the Conference Board, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Software Development Forum, the Commonwealth Club and the Churchill Club. He was also a founding member of the Band of Angels, a Silicon Valley private investment group, and over the years was a director on the board of dozens of Silicon Valley start-ups. He remained a marketing and branding consultant throughout much of 2003. Hoar was also very active with Junior Achievement and was recently named to the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.
Hoar helped shape communications, marketing and financial relations strategies at a number of seminal technology companies. From 1980 to 1984, he was vice president of communications for Apple Computer, where he was involved with the company's initial public offering and the product launches of the Lisa and Macintosh computers.
Previously, Hoar was vice president of communications at Fairchild Camera and Instrument, vice president of corporate communications at Genentech, worldwide communications director at Raychem, and division vice president of public affairs and advertising at RCA.
"Fred was a Silicon Valley phenomenon who brought a joie de vivre to each one of his endeavors," stated Wilf Corrigan, chairman and CEO of LSI Logic. "He will be impossible to replace."
As the Dean's executive professor of marketing at SCU, Hoar spent the last years of his career teaching marketing and branding courses to undergraduate and graduate students. Last December, the university awarded him with the Extra-Ordinary Faculty Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member at the Leavey School of Business.
"Fred had wonderful experiences and insights to share with the students," said Barry Posner, dean of the Leavey School of Business. "He always challenged them to think about matters outside of their disciplines and to consider the perspectives of others."
In 1999 Hoar was named one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Public Relations People of the 20th Century" by PR Week, a trade publication. He was an avid writer and was in the final stages of completing his memoirs on the birth of Silicon Valley as he witnessed it first-hand.
Hoar spent 12 years as president of the West coast division of Miller/Shandwick Technologies, an international public relations agency, and later was promoted to chairman of the agency and head of Miller/Shandwick's Technology Practice. He retired from the firm in 2002.
"Fred embodied grace and wisdom and in a world of hurried decisions and snap easy answers, he was about reflection which meant that he gave answers that were not always easy but were always wise," said Lord Peter Chadlington, founder of Shandwick International. "He was a man for whom the word sagacity was invented. We need that in the PR industry and Fred gave it."
Born and reared in Beverly, MA, Hoar served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. He earned an A.B. degree cum laude from Harvard University in American history and literature and a masters, with honors, in editorial journalism from the University of Iowa. Hoar relocated to California from New York in 1969 while working for Fairchild Camera and Instrument, which later became Fairchild Semiconductor.
A celebration of life service will take place on Friday, January 9 at 3 p.m. at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church located at 1095 Channing Avenue in Palo Alto.
His wife, Sheila, and daughters Cheryl, Deborah, Donna and Jocelyn survive Hoar.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Mid Peninsula Pathways Hospice Foundation at 65 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 94025 or the VA Hospital c/o Palo Alto Heathcare System, 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
PERSPECTIVES ON FRED HOAR'S LEGACY
"Fred will always be remembered as a writer and storyteller who captured the people and events of the Silicon Valley with his great wit and keen insight."
George Scalise, president, Semiconductor Industry Association
"Fred was a true renaissance man -- gifted writer and speaker, talented entrepreneur, brilliant strategist, wonderful family man, and bon vivant. Fred could keep a roomful of people laughing and learning like no one else. He always had a new story to tell and an upbeat word to say. The loss of his presence will be felt by so many he has touched."
Heidi Roizen, managing director, Mobius Venture Capital
"Fred was the total package when it came to a true leader in technology. More than just a pioneer in this field, Fred cared as much about the people as he did about the technology. He had a remarkable blend of intelligence, wit, passion and compassion. He leaves behind a huge legacy in the people he mentored."
Scott Meyer, former CEO, Shandwick International
"Like Winston Churchill, Fred Hoar commanded a room when he entered. His spirit, enthusiasm, irreverence, outrageous humor, and sparkling wit made him a perfect match for the Churchill Club. Fred knew this wonderful and peculiar place as a true insider and delighted in its inner workings. With Fred's passing, a part of the fabric of Silicon Valley is lost. He will not soon be replaced."
Brian Lavalake, president, Churchill Club
"Fred was a very special individual and was someone who caught and understood the critical dynamics of the leaders in Silicon Valley. He had their trust and confidence and was able to quickly examine these unique relationships and bring people together in a mutually beneficial way. He was a master of this skill, unlike anyone else."
Hans Severiens, founder and managing director, Band of Angels Fund
OTHER COVERAGE
SiliconValley.com
San Jose/Silicon Valley Business Journal
The Mercury News
San Mateo County Times
San Francisco Chronicle
Santa Clara University
Silicon Valley Biz Ink
Private Equity Week
The Mercury News (memorial service coverage)
PERSONAL REMEMBERANCES
Jeremy Pepper's Blog
The Peking Duck
For more information contact:
|
Lisa Kelaita 650.340.6766 work 415-518-8986 cellular lkelaita@vcpr.com |
Steve Kaufman 408-436-0774 work skaufman@vcpr.com |
FRED HOAR, SILICON VALLEY PR LEGEND, SUCCUMBS TO PULMONARY FIBROSIS
BURLINGAME, CA, January 6, 2004 - Frederick M. Hoar, a prominent, long-time Silicon Valley public relations and marketing executive, died January 2 after a three-year bout with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 77.
Hoar was one of Silicon Valley's most visible public relations executives. Throughout his career, he helped scores of companies develop and promote their brands, many of which subsequently became visible globally. Hoar worked as a public relations and marketing executive at a number of prominent technology companies, including RCA, Fairchild Semiconductor, Apple Computer and Genentech.
Hoar's energy and enthusiasm for his craft lasted virtually right up until his death. In his latest pursuit, he was the dean's executive professor of marketing at Santa Clara University (SCU), and he continued teaching until six weeks before his death.
"Fred was a man of wonderful energy who brought a special spirit to the valley," said Larry Sonsini, chairman and CEO of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati. "His creativity in building a brand name and placing marketing and communications in the proper perspective in building an enterprise will be greatly missed."
A vibrant, energetic speaker known for his witty insights into high technology, Hoar's speech making was liberally solicited in the business world. "He loved the English language; it was not just happenstance that his address was on Chaucer Street in Palo Alto," commented Mike Markkula, an early investor in Apple Computer and a colleague of Hoar from Apple's embryonic days. Markkula currently is chairman of the board of trustees at SCU.
Hoar spoke at hundreds of occasions in the United States and abroad. Among the organizations he addressed were the Conference Board, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Software Development Forum, the Commonwealth Club and the Churchill Club. He was also a founding member of the Band of Angels, a Silicon Valley private investment group, and over the years was a director on the board of dozens of Silicon Valley start-ups. He remained a marketing and branding consultant throughout much of 2003. Hoar was also very active with Junior Achievement and was recently named to the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.
Hoar helped shape communications, marketing and financial relations strategies at a number of seminal technology companies. From 1980 to 1984, he was vice president of communications for Apple Computer, where he was involved with the company's initial public offering and the product launches of the Lisa and Macintosh computers.
Previously, Hoar was vice president of communications at Fairchild Camera and Instrument, vice president of corporate communications at Genentech, worldwide communications director at Raychem, and division vice president of public affairs and advertising at RCA.
"Fred was a Silicon Valley phenomenon who brought a joie de vivre to each one of his endeavors," stated Wilf Corrigan, chairman and CEO of LSI Logic. "He will be impossible to replace."
As the Dean's executive professor of marketing at SCU, Hoar spent the last years of his career teaching marketing and branding courses to undergraduate and graduate students. Last December, the university awarded him with the Extra-Ordinary Faculty Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member at the Leavey School of Business.
"Fred had wonderful experiences and insights to share with the students," said Barry Posner, dean of the Leavey School of Business. "He always challenged them to think about matters outside of their disciplines and to consider the perspectives of others."
In 1999 Hoar was named one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Public Relations People of the 20th Century" by PR Week, a trade publication. He was an avid writer and was in the final stages of completing his memoirs on the birth of Silicon Valley as he witnessed it first-hand.
Hoar spent 12 years as president of the West coast division of Miller/Shandwick Technologies, an international public relations agency, and later was promoted to chairman of the agency and head of Miller/Shandwick's Technology Practice. He retired from the firm in 2002.
"Fred embodied grace and wisdom and in a world of hurried decisions and snap easy answers, he was about reflection which meant that he gave answers that were not always easy but were always wise," said Lord Peter Chadlington, founder of Shandwick International. "He was a man for whom the word sagacity was invented. We need that in the PR industry and Fred gave it."
Born and reared in Beverly, MA, Hoar served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. He earned an A.B. degree cum laude from Harvard University in American history and literature and a masters, with honors, in editorial journalism from the University of Iowa. Hoar relocated to California from New York in 1969 while working for Fairchild Camera and Instrument, which later became Fairchild Semiconductor.
A celebration of life service will take place on Friday, January 9 at 3 p.m. at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church located at 1095 Channing Avenue in Palo Alto.
His wife, Sheila, and daughters Cheryl, Deborah, Donna and Jocelyn survive Hoar.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Mid Peninsula Pathways Hospice Foundation at 65 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 94025 or the VA Hospital c/o Palo Alto Heathcare System, 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
PERSPECTIVES ON FRED HOAR'S LEGACY
"Fred will always be remembered as a writer and storyteller who captured the people and events of the Silicon Valley with his great wit and keen insight."
George Scalise, president, Semiconductor Industry Association
"Fred was a true renaissance man -- gifted writer and speaker, talented entrepreneur, brilliant strategist, wonderful family man, and bon vivant. Fred could keep a roomful of people laughing and learning like no one else. He always had a new story to tell and an upbeat word to say. The loss of his presence will be felt by so many he has touched."
Heidi Roizen, managing director, Mobius Venture Capital
"Fred was the total package when it came to a true leader in technology. More than just a pioneer in this field, Fred cared as much about the people as he did about the technology. He had a remarkable blend of intelligence, wit, passion and compassion. He leaves behind a huge legacy in the people he mentored."
Scott Meyer, former CEO, Shandwick International
"Like Winston Churchill, Fred Hoar commanded a room when he entered. His spirit, enthusiasm, irreverence, outrageous humor, and sparkling wit made him a perfect match for the Churchill Club. Fred knew this wonderful and peculiar place as a true insider and delighted in its inner workings. With Fred's passing, a part of the fabric of Silicon Valley is lost. He will not soon be replaced."
Brian Lavalake, president, Churchill Club
"Fred was a very special individual and was someone who caught and understood the critical dynamics of the leaders in Silicon Valley. He had their trust and confidence and was able to quickly examine these unique relationships and bring people together in a mutually beneficial way. He was a master of this skill, unlike anyone else."
Hans Severiens, founder and managing director, Band of Angels Fund
OTHER COVERAGE
SiliconValley.com
San Jose/Silicon Valley Business Journal
The Mercury News
San Mateo County Times
San Francisco Chronicle
Santa Clara University
Silicon Valley Biz Ink
Private Equity Week
The Mercury News (memorial service coverage)
PERSONAL REMEMBERANCES
Jeremy Pepper's Blog
The Peking Duck