ATopTech, Inc. has appointed Jue-Hsien Chern as CEO. ATopTech also achieved profitability based on record sales from new customer adoption of Aprisa, the complete netlist to GDSII physical design solution, as well as renewals within existing accounts.

Jue-Hsien brings over twenty years of experience in high technology companies to ATopTech. Prior to joining ATopTech, he was vice president and general manager of the DSM division at Mentor Graphics for nine years. He was at Texas Instruments for 10 years, holding positions as SMTS and branch manager within the Semiconductor Process and Design Center. Jue-Hsien has also served as head of the DSM business unit at Avant! and vice president, engineering, and CTO at Technology Marketing Associates.

"Even in the tough economic environment of this past year, ATopTech has successfully grown its customer base and increased market acceptance for the company's flagship Aprisa and Apogee solutions," said Jue-Hsien Chern. "I look forward to working with the team as we further the development of the company and technology to meet our customers' needs in physical design as we move to even smaller geometries."

I have known Jue-Hsien Chern during is entire tenure at Mentor Graphics and have to say that the move represents a significant loss, both managerially and technologically, for Mentor. At Mentor Jue-Hsien achieved all that was possible in that environment and organization. Obviously it was time to search for new challenges and opportunities.