Chuck Swoboda

Former CEO of Cree, Author of Innovator Spirit, Podcast Host of Innovators on Tap

Chuck Swoboda is an author, speaker, podcast host, and the Innovator-in-Residence at Marquette University.

He served as Chairman and CEO of Cree for 16 years where his team successfully led the LED lighting revolution not just by creating new products, but by focusing on solving old problems in completely new ways. He has seen what it takes to make the impossible, possible. Under his leadership, the company grew from just over $6 million in annual revenue in 1993 to over $1.6 billion as they transformed Cree from a start-up into a global market leader with 6,500 employees worldwide. Cree was recognized as MIT Technology Review’s 50 Smartest Companies for 2014 and as one of Fast Companies World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2015.

Chuck is the author of The Innovator’s Spirt, hosts the Innovators on Tap podcast, and has been a speaker on leading innovation for both corporate clients as well as a number of universities including; Harvard Business School, Marquette University, University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University.

He founded his consulting company, Cape Point Advisors in 2017 focusing on innovation and technology disruption. Chuck serves on the board of Anixter International, Vesper Technologies, KnowBio LLC, and Lonerider Brewing Company.

Chuck holds an engineering degree from Marquette University (1989), where he served on the Board of Trustees for 12 years, including two as chairman. He currently splits his time between Cary, North Carolina and Milwaukee, Wisconsin when he is not boating or fishing on Bald Head Island.