Tim Olson

Q: What most notably stands out about your leadership style or what is an example of leadership success you can share with our readers?

At Deca, we take a bottom-up approach where all employees are involved in shaping our vision, mission, strategies and goals. This inclusive process ensures everyone has an opportunity to share their input and see all the inputs synthesized and reflected in the company’s direction. With personal contribution in setting objectives, it’s natural for everyone to feel a strong sense of ownership, strengthening engagement and driving success.

Our ability to retain top talent is a testament to this approach. Deca has retained most of our senior staff and key technologists over the years in the highly competitive semiconductor industry. This level of stability is rare and speaks to the value we place on empowering our team to be integral to our journey.

Q: What impact has any disruptions of the past 18 months had on you as a leader?

The past 18 months have underscored the importance of adaptability and resilience. Geopolitical tensions have been a major driver of accelerated growth for the semiconductor industry in North America. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant transition as global dynamics and policies, such as the CHIPS Act, have fueled a push to diversify supply chains and increase the levels or R&D and production in North America

This shift has been both exciting and challenging. Continuing to expand a skilled domestic workforce as we grow is one of the biggest hurdles. We’ve been very fortunate to have a partnership with Arizona State University. ASU’s decision to partner with Deca and implement our industry-leading M-Series fan-out and Adaptive Patterning technologies in their fab, literally across the street from Deca in ASU Research Park, provides an exciting new pipeline for training and developing talent.

Q: What do you feel we can be doing as a business community to empower economic growth here?

As a business community, we must prioritize a collaborative mindset across the public and private sectors. Streamlining processes, such as infrastructure development and zoning, is essential to support rapid innovation. I recently attended a meeting with industry and government leaders, where we discussed how delays in utilities and basic infrastructure can hinder progress. Delays such as these often slow down the ability of companies to get up and running, ultimately delaying economic growth.

One of the most impactful steps we can take is creating specialized programs or organizations that help companies fast-track their investments. Imagine having dedicated teams that work hand in hand with new investors to break through barriers, expedite approvals and solve logistical challenges. Reducing lead times for utilities, power, water and other critical infrastructure can make Arizona even more attractive for technology and manufacturing projects.

Beyond that, targeted incentives like tax breaks and funding grants remain essential for encouraging long-term investment. Programs that enhance access to funding for R&D and promote workforce development will empower businesses to scale while creating high-value jobs.

Arizona has incredible potential as a technology hub, but fostering an ecosystem that accelerates project timelines and reduces bureaucratic barriers is key to making that vision a reality.

Q: What is new and notable for your company’s near future that will impact our economy?

At Deca, we’re bringing groundbreaking advanced packaging technologies to the semiconductor industry that have a broad impact from performance improvements in smartphones to advancements that make artificial intelligence more affordable. Our Adaptive Pad Stacks, part of the Adaptive Patterning suite, provide a dramatic 10X increase in manufacturing tolerance for advanced AI applications. The innovation allows companies to push to ever higher performance in AI with higher density integration while maintaining high yields and cost efficiency. With AI markets rapidly expanding, our technology is playing a pivotal role in making these advancements more accessible, ultimately fueling economic growth and technological progress.