In recognition of his transformative leadership in nanomanufacturing technology, James C. Morgan ’60, MBA ’63, was presented with the Cornell Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award – the college’s highest alumni honor – during a celebration event April 3 in Upson and Duffield halls.

Morgan led Applied Materials as CEO from 1977 to 2003, one of the longest tenures of any Fortune 500 CEO, and served as chairman for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, the company became a global powerhouse in equipment and software for manufacturing semiconductor chips used in everything from computers and televisions to solar panels.

Morgan supported the launch of the Cornell Systems Engineering Program and was an early contributor to Cornell Engineering’s Student Project Teams, the Cornell Tech campus, and the university’s Earth Source Heat geothermal project, among other programs. He and his wife, Becky Morgan ’60, are Cornell Presidential Councillors, emeritus members of Cornell Silicon Valley Advisors and recipients of the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award.

“Your professional accomplishments, your thoughtful leadership, and deep commitment to Cornell and to your community broadly, are inspiring,” said Provost Kavita Bala, describing the Morgans as among the university’s most generous and engaged donors during remarks at the celebration event.

Lynden Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering, expressed his gratitude for Morgan’s friendship, telling him that his impact “as a values-centered person who lived your values – and did it with class, and did it successfully” serves as a model for the Cornell Engineering community.

Morgan discussed his humble upbringing on a family farm in Indiana and then working in a canning factory, where he developed his initial interest in mechanical engineering. It was those experiences, he said, that would teach him an important lesson he carried into his business career.

“I never saw anyone in our family show disrespect to any person, no matter who they were,” Morgan said. “I guess I picked that up. You learn how to work with everyone. This is always helpful in business.”

Morgan said mutual trust and respect led to his success at Applied Materials, where he worked across different cultures to bring the company into international markets. His understanding of global trade turned Applied Materials into a multibillion-dollar company and earned him the National Medal of Technology from President Bill Clinton in 1996. Morgan later served on trade and technology policy councils under presidents Clinton, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Among Morgan’s other awards are the IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal, the Semiconductor Industries Award, the Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award, the Global Humanitarian Award and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Award.

He is also the author of several books, including “Applied Wisdom: Bad News Is Good News and Other Insights That Can Help Anyone” (2016), and founder of Applied Wisdom for the Nonprofit Sector, an initiative helping nonprofit staff elevate their leadership and management skills.

Syl Kacapyr is associate director of marketing and communications for Cornell Engineering.