User:DebbieM/Sheldon Weinig



Dr. Sheldon Weinig was born in New York City. He studied at Columbia University, where he received his doctorate and served as a Professor before answering the entrepreneurial call. In 1957, he founded Materials Research Corporation (MRC). Though their initial interest was the purity and characterization of metals, MRC would grow to become a global manufacturer and supplier of highly specialized semiconductor materials and equipment.

Early Years
Sheldon Weinig attended Stuyvesant High School, a magnet school in New York. After completing high school, he served in the United States Army until the end of World War II (approximately three months). He received his education on the GI Bill and was awarded his doctorate in metallurgy from Columbia University. Dr. Weinig served as a Professor at Columbia for five years, then went on to found Materials Research Corporation.

Innovator and Leader
Sheldon Weinig's innovative nature spanned several domains beyond metallurgy. He understood people, finance, and international relations.

In the technological arena, MRC consistently introduced leading-edge (some say bleeding-edge) manufacturing equipment to the semiconductor industry. Their electronic materials set the pace for the industry. Innovative business methods led the company to invent equipment for their own use. In turn, some of this equipment would have commercial value and become products.

As with any business, MRC had its share of economic ups and downs, and Dr. Weinig met each of those challenges head-on, keeping the company in business for over 20 years.

Under Dr. Weinig's stewardship, MRC was one of the most progressive workplaces in Rockland County, NY and their employee benefits were well-known and spoken of at other companies. He architected the company benefits program around the idea of "giving as much as we can afford, not the least we could get away with." Dr. Weinig explained that he wanted his employees to be able to concentrate on their work instead of having to worry about job security or their family's health.

In addition to a generous medical and dental benefits package, MRC was one of the earlier companies to implement a 401K match.

But two benefits in particular had the distinctive Weinig stamp: lifetime employment and the educational policy. The idea of lifetime employment was that you would always have a job, no matter what was going on with the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry. When the industry was on the down side, MRC canceled all contracted services such as security, custodial, and landscaping and put employees in the slow areas to work in the gardens and such. MRC offered a lifetime employment plan for as long as the company could bear it and eventually, it had to be discontinued.

MRC's educational policy under Dr. Weinig was one line: "you pass, we pay." Any major area of study was open to any employee. An engineer could study English, an Administrative Assistant could study computer science, and a machinist could study Journalism. Dr. Weinig would say that he wanted his employees "thinking in their off hours." He felt that in the field of semiconductors, an Engineering degree would be obsolete within five years.

Awards and Recognition

 * 1980:Awarded the SEMMY Award, by the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials Institute
 * 1984:Inducted into the National Academy of Engineering for his technological contributions to the field of electronic materials
 * 1990:Elected to the International Technology Institute’s Hall of Fame for Engineering, Science and Technology
 * 1988:Awarded the rank of Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur by the Government of France

Sale to Sony
In 1989, Dr. Weinig sold MRC to Sony Corporation, a move that yielded considerable criticism from those looking on. At the time, MRC was desperate for an influx of capital. Despite his attempts to keep the business American-owned, no American company was in a position or of a mind to purchase MRC and keep it (and it's technology) intact. Sony stepped up to the plate, recognizing the many contributions MRC had made and its value to the field.

Retirement from Industry
Dr. Weinig retired as Vice Chairman of Engineering and Manufacturing of Sony America in 1996 and became an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University as well as the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He serves on several boards and still enjoys fly fishing.