TOP NEWS

Conexant Swizzles Chair

Newport Beach-based semiconductor firm Conexant Systems said Thursday that it has appointed D. Scott Mercer as Chairman of the firm's board of directors, replacing existing chairman Dwight W. Decker. Decker continues on the firm's board. Mercer is Conexant's CEO, a position he's held since April of this year. According to Conexant, Mercer is also on the board of directors of Palm, Polycom, SMART Modular Technologies, and Adaptec. Decker has been slowly transitioning out of Conexant, after retiring in 2004 when the firm merged with GlobespanVirata; he was later pulled out of retirement to serve as CEO again after the company hit rough waters that same year. Decker transitioned out of the CEO role in 2007, but has remained as chairman of the board.