A Tribute to Donald Leo Lucas,
Godfather of Silicon Valley
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By Vania Mia Chaker, Esq.
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(Protected by Copyright, Used with Permission)
A Tribute to Don Lucas
A Legend in the World of Venture Capital and a Godfather of Silicon Valley
By Vania Mia Chaker, Esq.
Donald Leo Lucas was a hero to me and so many others. He was a titan of in the world of Finance, Venture Capital, and in Silicon Valley. It is with great sadness I share that Silicon Valley is mourning the enormous loss of his passing.
Many of us joined together in Atherton at the beginning of this new decade in a tremendous outpouring of respect and admiration to celebrate the life of this truly legendary figure. Mr. Lucas is considered a Godfather of Silicon Valley – one of the few men credited with the creation of venture capital. He was a VC giant who helped spur The Valley’s meteoric growth and the technology boom that benefited society and the world as it ushered in a new technological era.
As a person, Mr. Lucas was imposing in physical and figurative stature, a larger-than-life man who inspired and touched the lives of many. His legacy includes a large, loving family, countless friends, esteemed colleagues, and the many fortunate individuals who he mentored and in whom he invested. Mr. Lucas lived a truly remarkable life and was known by many for his charm, sharp wit, and intellectual firepower.
Mr. Lucas inspired great respect and admiration in others. He was of course venerated for his magnificent success in the world of business and finance. During his career, Mr. Lucas served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Oracle Corporation, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and a Director of over 20 public and private companies including Dexcom, Macromedia/Adobe Systems, Coulter Pharmaceutical/GSK, HBO and Company, and 51jobs.
But more importantly, Mr. Lucas’s legacy is best marked by all of the tremendous good he did. The Lucas name is synonymous with generous philanthropy, his influential and impressive business leadership, and his many charitable works. He was deeply committed to his alma maters of Stanford University and Stanford GSB, Santa Clara University, the fine Catholic university where he served as a Trustee for many years, The Church of the Nativity, Sacred Heart Preparatory Academy, The Stanford Athletics Program, and countless other charitable and religious causes.
In addition to his strong dedication to philanthropy, Mr. Lucas was truly a fine gentleman, beloved for the kind of person he was. He was known his for his personal selflessness, including the generosity of his personal time, the genuine caring he displayed toward others, and his deep Catholic devotion. He served as a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, served our country in the U.S. Army, and was widely known as a person of profound integrity and kindness.
Mr. Lucas touched many lives; and this world dimmed a bit the day he left it. But his legacy will surely continue to shine bright through his beloved family and through those in whose hearts he remains. Don’s life stands as an inspiration to us all as we will continue to honor and celebrate his remarkable legacy.
– By Vania Mia Chaker
#tribute #venturecapital #siliconvalley #stanford #stanforduniversity
#leadership #titans #success #generosity
#leadershipbyexample #leadershipqualities
#oracle #cadence #biography
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/donald-leo-lucas-titan-venture-capital-godfather-silicon-vania-chaker/
My published works may be found at:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3432737
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3270688
https://www.journaloftechlaw.org/issues/23-2-chaker/
Short Linkedin Post
A Tribute to Donald Leo Lucas, A Titan in the World of Venture Capital and a Godfather of Silicon Valley
Don Lucas was a hero to me and many others. With great sadness, I share in Silicon Valley’s mourning of the enormous loss of his passing.
Many of us joined together in Atherton to celebrate the life of this truly legendary leader. Mr. Lucas is considered a Godfather of Silicon Valley – a Venture Capital titan who helped spur The Valley’s meteoric technology boom.
As a person, Don was imposing in physical and figurative stature, a larger-than-life figure who touched the lives of many. He enjoyed magnificent success in the world of business and finance – most famously at Oracle and Cadence Design Systems – but his legacy is also marked by the tremendous good he did. Even beyond his generous philanthropy, he was truly a fine gentleman, known by many for his charm, sharp wit, and intellectual firepower.
This world dimmed a bit the day Don left but his legacy continues to shine bright through his beloved family and those in whose hearts he remains. His life stands as an inspiration to us as we continue to honor and celebrate this remarkable man and his legacy.
#leadership #siliconvalley #venturecapital #stanford #oracle #cadence
Copyright 2021
