Shepherd's accomplishments began at a young age. He started elementary school at the age of four and built a vacuum tube in his garage at age six. After graduating from high school at the age of 14, he studied on a scholarship at Southern Methodist University and graduated with honors in 1942 with a bachelor's in electrical engineering.

Shepherd began his professional career as a design engineer at General Electric before he served for three years as a lieutenant in the US Navy, specializing in radar and electronics maintenance aboard the USS Tucson, during WWII.

After his military service, Shepherd studied at the University of Illinois, receiving a master's degree in electrical engineering in 1947. That same year, he joined Farnsworth Television and Radio Corp, working on engineering and development projects. One year later, he moved to Geophysical Services, the predecessor company of TI.

Shepherd's career at TI saw him climb the corporate ladder from a design engineer to chairman of the board. In 1953, he became TI's chief engineer, followed by promotions to assistant VP and general manager of the semiconductor components division in 1954, and to VP in 1955. In 1961, Shepherd became executive VP and COO of the company.

Shepherd was elected to TI's board of directors in 1963, was named company president in 1967, became CEO in 1969, and added the role of chairman in 1976. He retired from active employment at TI in 1985, though he remained chairman until 1988. He continued to serve as a general director until 1993.

His work is highly acclaimed both inside and outside of TI. In 1962, Life magazine named Shepherd as one of the 100 most important young people in the nation, crediting him with "leading the development of transistor mass production and helping to make his company the world's leading producer of semiconductors." He was also recognized by a Wall Street Journal/Gallup survey to be among the top 20 business executives most respected by his peers in 1980.

Alumni organizations at both SMU and University of Illinois recognized Shepherd for his leadership. Additionally, he received the Horatio Alger Award and was a Fellow for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

"Mark Shepherd led a remarkable life," said Rich Templeton, TI's chairman, president, and CEO, in a statement. "He was a man of integrity, and he loved the pursuit of innovation. Mark played a leading role in the creation of the semiconductor industry, and he was a driving force in establishing TI as one of the first global electronics companies."

The 40-year TI veteran died of complications from pulmonary fibrosis at his ranch in Quitman, Texas, according to reports. He is survived by his wife Alice and their three children.

By: DocMemory
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