Black History Month - Showcasing Product Leader Dr. Mark Dean

As we enter Black History Month, we at BPMA would like to highlight the contributions of Black product leaders who have introduced transformational products that have impacted all of our lives. A great example of such a product leader is Dr. Mark Dean.

Dr. Dean was a leading contributor to the introduction of the IBM PC in 1981. Of the nine patents that were awarded in the creation of the IBM PC, three are held by Dr. Dean. His contributions don’t end there. He also delivered the IBM PC color monitor, co-developed the ISA bus, and led the team that delivered a GHZ computer processor chip. He is a role model for those looking to deliver products to a new and receptive market. 

While at IBM, Dr. Dean became the first African-American IBM Fellow, the highest technical honor that can be achieved at IBM. In addition, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997.