Thomas Sonderman
Biography
Thomas Sonderman was appointed CEO and elected to the board of directors in 2017. Under his leadership, he has driven the company’s transformation from an IDM to a pure play foundry and led its successful IPO in 2021. He has diversified the customer base, improved operational efficiencies and leveraged SkyWater as a U.S.-based semiconductor foundry to expand its government business and reinstate a strong commercial manufacturing presence in the U.S. He has built a world-class leadership team and workforce that is driving innovation and delivering excellence to SkyWater’s customers every day.
Prior to joining SkyWater, Mr. Sonderman’s extensive industry experience included all aspects of fab operations and delivering market leadership and increased shareholder value to high-technology industry leaders Rudolph Technologies (now ONTO Innovation), GLOBALFOUNDRIES and AMD. Notably, he played a critical role serving as part of an executive team at AMD that spun-off manufacturing operations to form GLOBALFOUNDRIES.
Mr. Sonderman holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Missouri S&T and an M.S. in electrical engineering from National Technological University. He has 50 patents, is a renowned industry speaker and was inducted into the Academy of Chemical and Biochemical Engineers at Missouri S&T in 2024. Mr. Sonderman also received an honorary doctorate in engineering from Missouri S&T and serves as the Commissioner for Semiconductors and Microelectronics at Purdue University’s Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy.
Company Profile
SkyWater Technology
Company Profile
SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT) is securing America’s silicon foundation as the largest U.S.-based, pure-play semiconductor foundry. A trusted partner to both commercial customers and federal defense programs, SkyWater’s Technology as a Service model empowers innovators to bring emerging technologies like quantum computing and next-generation systems from concept to reality. With state-of-the-art facilities in Minnesota, Florida, and Texas, SkyWater specializes in foundational nodes and advanced packaging to support the nation’s critical infrastructure, strengthen supply chain resilience, and ensure long-term U.S. technology leadership. SkyWater is a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. To learn more, visit www.skywatertechnology.com.
Product & Service
SkyWater provides secure, U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, and technology development services that enable commercial and government customers to design, prototype, and produce mission-critical silicon at scale.
