Early Life and Education
Henry Thompson Nicholas III was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 8, 1959. After his parents divorced, he moved with his mother and sister to Los Angeles, California. He attended Santa Monica High School and later enrolled in the United States Air Force Academy but left the program. Nicholas holds a Bachelor of Science, a Master's degree, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA. His doctoral dissertation became the basis for the integrated circuit (IC) that Broadcom sold.
Rise to Success
After graduating from UCLA, Nicholas worked at TRW. In 1991, he co-founded Broadcom Corporation with Henry Samueli in a Redondo Beach, California condominium. Broadcom went public in 1998, and under Nicholas's leadership, it became a key player in semiconductor technology. He stepped down as CEO in 2003 at age 43.
Key Business Strategies
Broadcom's success was built on creating semiconductor solutions for broadband communications. The company's early success came from creating custom chips for cable modems and digital subscriber lines (DSL), which were essential for bringing high-speed internet to homes and businesses. Nicholas and his partner, Henry Samueli, invested modestly in the company, leading it to a successful public offering.
Philanthropy
In 2003, Nicholas founded The Henry T. and Stacey Nicholas Foundation, which was later renamed The Henry T. Nicholas III Foundation. The foundation focuses on education, youth sports, technology, medical research, victims' rights, and national defense. Nicholas is also the chairman of Marsy's Law for All, an organization dedicated to enforcing a constitutional amendment that supports victims' rights.