The Dialogue Podcast Spotlight: Ken Coleman

We’re revisiting the first in our new series of podcasts that offer a glimpse into the personal and professional journeys of some of our most remarkable Senior Fellows. From The Dialogue Podcast archives, we present Senior Fellow Spotlight: Ken Coleman.

Silicon Valley pioneer Ken Coleman of ALF Class III talks about his early life in a small town in southern Illinois, lessons learned from serving as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force, and his eventual move to the Bay Area, where he began a storied career starting with HP in 1972.

In 1999, Ken was named one of the ten most influential African Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2001, he was named one of the top 25 Black executives in technology by Black Enterprise magazine. He is also the recipient of numerous honors, including our very own Exemplary Leader Award; the Ohio State University Distinguished Service Award; the National Alliance of Black School Educators Living Legend Award; the One Hundred Black Men of Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Silicon Valley Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

Ken has served as a member of the Boards of Directors of City National Bank, MIPS Technologies, and United Online. He is currently Chairman at EIS Group Ltd.

Related Posts

Relationships in the Age of AI

This post was originally published at alfnational.org and shared here with permission. On a recent Friday afternoon, I made the hour-long drive from San Jose to downtown San Francisco to […]

October 24, 2025

ALF Silicon Valley adds ten new board members

Growing the ALF Network at the Annual Board Retreat On September 24, the ALF Silicon Valley Board of Directors gathered at Miramar Farms in Half Moon Bay for the annual […]

October 8, 2025

And the best class is…

Spoiler: It’s yours, of course. And everyone else’s! Because being the “best class” isn’t about bragging rights. It’s about the connections, the friendships, the personal growth, and the impact of […]

October 1, 2025


Upcoming Events