Bob Swanson As the 1980s dawned on an increasingly digital world, many semiconductor companies wanted to be "all things to all people." Startups with a specialty focus were viewed with great skepticism. So when Swanson left National Semicon-ductor in 1981 to co-found a company dedicated to the relatively small analog market, the doubters proliferated. But under Swanson's guidance as president and CEO since its inception, and chairman of the board as well since 1999, Linear Technology Corp. has grown into a global leader in analog products for a dramatically expanding market. It has the reputation of being a well-managed, consistent performer among semiconductor companies.