Former Freescale CEO Takes Helm at Cree

　　Gregg Lowe, the former leader of Freescale Semiconductor, has been appointed president and CEO of LED maker Cree Inc.

　　Lowe will succeed Chuck Swoboda, Cree's top executive for the past 16 years.  Cree announced in May that Swoboda would be stepping down.

　　Lowe was also named to Cree's board of director. Robert Ingram, who had served as Cree's lead independent director, was named chairman, succeeding Swoboda, who will remain on the board until the company's annual shareholder meeting on Oct. 24, Cree said.

　　Lowe served as Freescale's president and CEO from 2012 to 2015, when the company was acquired by NXP Semiconductors. Lowe previously worked for 28 years at Texas Instruments, rising to the rank of senior vice president and head of the firm's analog business.

　　In a statement, Lowe called Cree's "innovation engine" unmatched in the industry. "I am honored to be a part of this team and look forward to working with the employees and the board to establish and execute a clear vision for the company moving forward," he said.

　　Lowe currently serves on the board of directors of Silicon Labs, as well as Baylor Healthcare System and the Rock and Roll Hall of Hame.