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MHT All-Star Robert LeFort: Learn by doing

Who he is: Since 2006 he’s served as CEO of Ember Corp., where he has grown the company into the world’s top producer of ZigBee chips — the leading technology for the wireless communications that make the “smart” technologies work.

Track record: Prior to joining Ember, he was president of North American operations for semiconductor firm Infineon Technologies, a position he held from 2002 to 2006. Before that he ran the automotive electronics business for Infineon North America, and had also previously held positions at Delphi Automotive Systems, Analog Devices Inc. and Cherry Semiconductor Corp.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, University of Massachusetts, 1983; MBA, Boston University, 1990

On leaving Infineon for Ember: “I don’t mind big companies, I actually quite enjoy them. What caused me to leave was that the company was really on a cost-cutting mission for those years. It stopped being fun at the end of the day. I don’t mind cost-cutting temporarily to strengthen the business, but you have to have a plan to come out of a cost-cutting mode and to get back into a solid growth mode, and I didn’t see that part of the plan.”

On his adjustment to running a startup: “One of the guys (at the company) told me once, ‘When you started, you immediately jumped right in head first whether you knew what you were talking about or not, you just got up there and tried to help us move forward.’ I think he regrets saying that, but I took that as a compliment. That is my style. I’ll learn by doing. As a friend of mine used to say, ‘If you want more hits, get up to the plate more.’”

On whether Ember has fulfilled his hopes: “Personally, I’m very happy at Ember. I think we still have more to do to reach our potential. I have not fulfilled Ember’s vision, so to that extent I can’t say that my vision is fulfilled. But if you say, ‘Did I get what I came for, coming to Ember?’ Absolutely. ... We need to see this thing go mainstream. It’s well on its way, but it’s not there yet.”

On returing to his home state of Massachusetts to join Ember: “My parents are still living in the same house I was brought up in, in Waltham. It was a very nice opportunity to get back to them. That’s been really great — my family’s a very important part of my life … We have two daughters, one is in college and one is in high school. They definitely are the most interesting and exciting part of my life. No matter how good Ember gets, it’s always great talking to them.”