Key Moves in OC Executive Ranks

It’s a season of change for Orange County tech company leaders, ranging from chipmaker Syntiant Corp. to internet security firm SecureAuth Corp. and the rebranded Mobilitie, among others.

Upstart Syntiant, led by Chief Executive Kurt Busch and with more than $120 million in funds raised since its founding in 2017, said May 31 it had added four new members to its advisory board, bringing its ranks to 10.

The newcomers include Greg Fischer, a board member at Semtech Corp. (Nasdaq: SMTC), a Camarillo-based provider of chips and high-tech services.

Meanwhile, Semtech itself is the next stop for Paul Pickle, who will become the company’s CEO this month after leaving computer components maker Lantronix Inc. (Nasdaq: LTRX) in Irvine.

Pickle is joining a much larger company; Semtech has a market cap of about $1.4 billion, while Lantronix’s market value is about $155 million.

A Lantronix spokesperson said “he is staying in Irvine” when asked whether Pickle will be relocating to Camarillo.

Of note, Busch previously served as the CEO and president of Lantronix, a provider of secure data access and management solutions for IoT and IT applications, prior to founding Syntiant.

Another addition to the Syntiant board is Magnus Eberstedt, the dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at University of California, Irvine (for more, see the June 5 print edition). Busch studied at the school on his way to a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in 1993.

CalAmp

Also in Irvine, vehicle tracking and management company CalAmp Corp. (Nasdaq: CAMP) said CEO Jeff Gardner will step down by Oct. 30, and it’s started a search for his successor.

Gardner was appointed CalAmp’s president and CEO almost three years ago, and last year faced a potential board shakeup. The company’s shares were trading at $1.78 apiece as of June 1, down from $7.30 apiece as of a year ago, giving it a valuation of about $77 million.

“During his tenure, the company’s leadership team has been strengthened, CalAmp has exited or monetized certain non-strategic businesses and the cost structure has been optimized,” the company said in a statement.

Mobilitie Rebrand

Major changes are also coming to…