Mr. Hazel joined Semtek as its Chief Executive in February, 2006. From April 2001 through December 2004, Mr. Hazel was the Chief Executive Officer of EWI, a venture capital-backed payment processing company specializing in alternative payment processing services for large banks and retailers in the US and Latin America. EWI attracted a portfolio of leading fortune 1000 clients and partnerships such as Bank of America, Intel Capital, IDT, National City Bank, Wells Fargo, Telefonica Movil, Verizon, Cingular, Moneris, Franklin Templeton, and Darby Technology Ventures. EWI was acquired by Safeway Stores, Inc (NYSE:SWY) as part of Safeway Stores growth strategy in the payment card sector. From 1994 through the end 2000, Mr. Hazel was involved as a principal or senior operating executive in a series of successful media companies, culminating in the sale of Chancellor Media Corporation to Clear Channel Communications and the sale of Mr. Hazel's operating subsidiary, Chancellor Media Outdoor Corporation, to Lamar to form the nation's third-largest outdoor advertising company (behind Clear Channel and CBS/Viacom) in a transaction valued in excess of $1.5 billion. In late 1986, Mr. Hazel joined the executive team at Copley Newspapers, a privately held, $500 million newspaper publisher. He led the merger of the San Diego Union and the San Diego Tribune in 1992 and initiated that firm's digital publishing strategy. In 1983, he joined the start-up American City Business Journals as an Associate Publisher (general manager) and held numerous executive positions as the firm grew to 36 markets and executed a successful IPO in 1986. Mr. Hazel is a director of LRI, a privately-held marketing research firm. He serves on the non-profit boards of the Torrey Pines Pond Foundation, the Sunset Water Polo Foundation, and the St. James Academy, where he is Chairman. He is also a water polo coach, formerly serving on the staffs of the University of California - San Diego, Torrey Pines High School, and Sunset Water Polo Club. He received his B.A from the University of Southern California and his M.B.A from the University of Santa Clara. |