Dr. Glen O. Toney

1939 - 2020

DR. GLEN O. TONEY Dr. Glen O. Toney, a pioneering Silicon Valley executive and longtime Butte County resident, passed away in Palo Alto on December 20, 2020. He was 81. Born on January 4, 1939, in Monroe, Louisiana, he was raised in Oroville, California, and graduated from Oroville High School in 1957. He went on to attend Chico State University where he received his BS degree in Philosophy. After graduating from Chico State, he attended San Jos‚ State University, where he earned a master's degree in instructional technology and a bachelor of science in mathematics. From 196264 he served in the US Army missile division where he attained the rank of private first class. He received a doctorate in 1975 from the University of Southern California in organizational behavior and higher education and also earned his teaching and administrative credentials. Glen spent most of his career in Silicon Valley. He moved to Chico in 1995. His life is characterized by his reputation as an outstanding business executive, prominent community leader, volunteer extraordinaire, philanthropist, and major supporter of numerous boards and community organizations. In 1979, Glen returned to the corporate setting as a senior executive, launching a 23-year career with Applied Materials, Inc., the largest supplier of products and services to the global semiconductor industry. Before his retirement in 2002, he was a key part of the executive team that led the company in growing annual revenue from $42 million to $10 billion and earning frequent recognition for its management, performance, diversity, and success. Among the many accolades, Fortune magazine profiled Applied Materials on its list of "Best Places to Work in America," and Business Ethics named it one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Glen served as a member of the board of directors of Andrews Corporation, a telecom equipment manufacturer for 8 years prior to the company's acquisition in 2007 and also served on the board of Authernative, Inc., a software development company. "Glen was an exceptional and inspirational man," said James Morgan, Chairman Emeritus of Applied Materials. "He was a transformative figure, whose insights, integrity and wisdom will have a lasting impact on Silicon Valley." At his heart, Glen was always interested in improving the educational system at multiple levels. After working many years as a computer programmer at Lockheed Missile and Space, Inc., his career in education began in 1969, as he served as assistant superintendent of schools in Ravenswood City and Palo Alto Unified School Districts. In 1995, the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management at CSU Chico honored Glen as a Distinguished Alumnus. The CSU Board of Trustees and University followed suit by awarding him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Lettersone of the system's highest honorsin 2004, to pay tribute to his personal and professional achievements and meritorious service to society. In 2006 Glen was appointed to the California State University Trustee Board. He was honored by Chico State once again in 2011 with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award. In addition, Glen was granted an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Santa Clara University. "When Glen served as a member of the California State Board of Trustees, we were so proud to call him one of our own," said Gayle Hutchinson, President, California State University, Chico. "He will be dearly missed, but his legacy will live on in the beautiful artwork he and his wife bestowed on campus and in the hundreds of lives he touched." Inspired by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Glen was also committed to advancing civil rights and improving opportunities for the next generation. A long-time leader in the community, he served on the board of directors of the National Conference for Community Justice, the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative, and the East Palo Alto Boys Choir. He also served as chair of the 21st Century Education Initiative and was a trustee for the Robert Noyce Foundation. He was Chairman President of Applied Materials Global University, President of the CSU Chico Alumni Association, member of the College of Engineering Computer Science and Technology advisory board, and a board member of the Northern California Natural History Museum. Glen was the recipient of numerous awards including The Leadership in Action Award for Outstanding Commitment to Education and Community from People Acting in Community Together (PACT), the David Packard Civic Entrepreneurs Award, and the NAACP Community Service Award. Glen is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Virginia; daughters Nicole, Kellance and Phoenix; two grandchildren, Keely and Kenneth; his brother Charles Toney and his wife Sophia; sister Virginia Walker and her husband Dell; sister-in-law Lily Toney; and many nieces and nephews. Glen is preceded in death by his parents, James and Alice Toney, his daughter, Kali, and his brothers, Walter, Robert and Samuel. A celebration of life gathering will be planned for a later date.