To commemorate the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th Armistice Day- a day to recognize the armistice truce signed between the Allies of WWI and Germany. After World War II the term “Armistice” was replaced with “Veteran” to recognize all of those who have served in the military, not just those who had served in WWI. Today of all days, we want to thank all men and women for their dedication and the sacrifices they made in order to ensure our country’s safety.
In recognition of Veterans Day, we at EMA Design Automation wanted to highlight a few of our own veteran employees who have worked hard to keep our country free and safe, beginning with EMA’s owner and CEO, Manny Marcano. After eight years of service in the military and a total of 32 years in the EDA field, Manny is a well-known business leader in the industry, owing much of his expertise to his time spent in the service.
Life in the Service: US Air Force Staff Sergeant
For Manny, it all began in 1972 with his service in the United States Air Force as an electronics technician, which he chose for the guaranteed opportunity of receiving hands-on training. Ultimately, this position sparked a life-long passion for electronics. With assignments of radio repairman and paratrooper, Manny was able to expand his skills in the electronics field while on base at Keesler AFB (Biloxi, MS), Shaw AFB (Colombia, SC), Westover AFB (Chicopee, MA), and Lindsay Air Station in Germany.
During his eight years of service, Manny had the chance to work with sophisticated, state-of-the-art electronics and mission critical systems. One of his most memorable experiences was performing a night jump at 1500 feet in full combat equipment—the last of 59 total jumps before shipping out.
Manny was also a volunteer Electronic Installation Team Chief in Germany. This enabled him to further his expertise by installing sophisticated electronic security systems for nuclear weapons. According to Manny, ” [being in the service] gave me discipline and drive to be successful”, teaching him not only the skills needed for success in the EDA industry, but also to be “relentless and fearless” in every aspect of life.
Life after Service
After his time in the service, Manny furthered his education in electronics at Rochester Institute of Technology where he obtained a degree in engineering. He did all this while raising two children with his wife, Nancy (EMA’s current Vice President)—true testament of his dedication to succeed. His discipline and drive for success obtained during his time in the service resulted in the start of EMA Design Automation in 1989. “Most of the credit is owed to my wife, Nancy. She has understood and been instrumental to my success by supporting even my craziest endeavors,” explained Manny.
With 28 prosperous years in business, Manny is well respected as a no-nonsense, passionate entrepreneur. In regards to life after his service, Manny stated, “My service in the USAF was an invaluable experience that set the direction for my success in life”.
Stay tuned throughout the day as we follow up with other veterans at EMA and how their services has shaped who they are today.
