Lawrence Semiconductor names Don Garrison COO and general manager

Lawrence Semiconductor has hired former Littelfuse operations executive Don Garrison to lead manufacturing and customer delivery as the Tempe company expands capacity for photonics, sensing, quantum computing and defense markets. The move comes as the specialty materials maker says it is the only U.S. merchant source for production GeSn and silicon-28 epitaxy.

Why it matters: - Lawrence Semiconductor is adding an operations leader with direct epitaxy experience at a time when demand is rising for specialty semiconductor materials. - The hire supports the Tempe manufacturer’s push to expand capacity for advanced devices used in photonics, sensing, quantum computing and defense. - Lawrence says its production position in GeSn and silicon-28 epitaxy gives U.S. customers a rare domestic source for critical materials.

What happened: - Lawrence Semiconductor named Don Garrison general manager and chief operating officer. - Garrison reports to CEO Ali Torabi. - Garrison will oversee manufacturing, engineering, quality and customer delivery. - The company said the appointment is tied to expansion efforts aimed at meeting growing customer demand.

The details: - Lawrence Semiconductor is a U.S.-owned manufacturer of engineered silicon and germanium epitaxial materials. - The company operates as a merchant epitaxy foundry, producing engineered layers that customers use as starting material for microelectronic, photonic and sensing devices. - Its portfolio includes silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium, germanium-tin and isotopically enriched silicon-28 epitaxial materials. - Lawrence says it is the only merchant source in the United States for production GeSn and silicon-28 epitaxy and one of very few globally. - Garrison previously served as vice president of global operations for Littelfuse’s Semiconductor Business Unit. - At Littelfuse, Garrison directed manufacturing, engineering and supply chain across eight fabrication, assembly and test sites and led an organization of more than 2,500 people. - He also held roles as director of fab operations at NXP Semiconductors in Chandler, Arizona, and in manufacturing excellence at GlobalFoundries. - Garrison spent more than a decade at Intel in technical and manufacturing roles. - Garrison has led epitaxial deposition operations directly at multiple companies and lives in the Phoenix area. - Lawrence operates a Class 100 cleanroom in Tempe with 14 epitaxial reactors running around the clock. - The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified. - Lawrence is certified under the Department of Defense Joint Certification Program. - Lawrence is implementing IATF 16949 to support automotive and high-reliability production programs. - A high-resolution photo of Don Garrison is available on request. - More information is available at lawrencesemi.com. - Lawrence Semiconductor’s social media page is available on LinkedIn.

Between the lines: - The hire signals that Lawrence wants to scale without losing control of a process that requires tight manufacturing discipline. - Garrison’s background suggests the company is prioritizing someone who understands both high-volume semiconductor operations and epitaxy-specific production risks. - The combination of defense, quantum and photonics customers points to demand for specialized materials with long qualification cycles and high reliability requirements.

What's next: - Garrison will focus on increasing output while maintaining quality and delivery performance. - Lawrence is continuing to expand capacity to serve growing demand from specialty semiconductor markets. - The company is positioning its quality and certification profile to support automotive and other high-reliability programs.

The bottom line: - Lawrence Semiconductor is betting that a seasoned operations executive with epitaxy experience can help it scale a rare U.S. materials business into the next phase of demand.