Frank P. Paniagua, Jr.

Frank P. Paniagua, Jr. (born May 20, 1959) is a businessman in Silicon Valley. He founded and led technology companies developing computer graphics, educational software, digital music CD burning systems, satellite-based networking, PC peripherals, IT Security and a digital controller for power conversion.

Early years and education

Paniagua was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area in Hayward, California. He graduated from Sunset High School, Hayward in the class of 1977. He received a B.S. in Communications from California State University Hayward in 1982 and began his career in Sales with Janus DYSC Corporation in Milpitas, California in 1983.

Career

After college, Paniagua took a job with Janus DYSC Corporation, a US-based provider of flexible storage media. He spent 4 years in that position.

Video Electronics Standards Association

In 1988, as director of OEM sales for Genoa Systems, Paniagua recognized the need to provide interoperability between the many competing graphics controllers and display devices. At the time, displays were tightly coupled to controller attributes and had no way to dynamically configure the graphics controller to its required parameters. He and Harold Melnick founded the coalition of vendors, lead by NEC, to develop a standardized interface that enables all display devices to interact and operate with any compliant graphics controller. Many graphics vendors are members of Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) and provide a compliant interface.

Executive

Paniagua was vice president of worldwide OEM sales at RasterOps and VideoLogic, founder of KidWise LearningWare, co-founder of Eskape Labs and AutoNetworks and the president of IXMICRO. EskapeLabs, IXMICRO and AutoNetworks were acquired.

Green Plug

Paniagua is founder and CEO of Green Plug, Incorporated, a semiconductor technology company. The idea was formed in 2005 and the company founded in 2006. He gave a presentation at the DEMO conference in January 2008. He announced the Green Power Processor at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2011.