Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce, CEO
mySilicon Compass
Ian Paul Steff hails from the nexus of technology partnerships, innovation policy, investment attraction, economic development, and international trade. Mr. Steff is President and CEO of mySilicon Compass, LLC, a strategic consulting practice that engages clients seeking to advance their technological competitiveness; grow international sales and market share; create and foster public-private partnerships; and expand jobs, advanced manufacturing, and research and development investments in emerging growth sectors in the United States.
He most recently served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service following his unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate. Mr. Steff also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing. During his time at the Department, the team Mr. Steff led assisted more than 77,000 U.S. exporters, facilitated $296 billion in U.S. exports and investment, and supported 1.3 million American jobs, as reported to the Office of Management and Budget.
Prior to federal government service, Mr. Steff held senior roles in the administration of then-Governor Pence and Governor Holcomb, including the State of Indiana’s first Chief Innovation Officer and as Executive Vice President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Steff has served as a founding member, director, or advisor to more than a dozen public-private R&D consortia involving semiconductors, energy storage, composite materials, autonomous transportation, nanotechnology, and advanced manufacturing.
He worked for the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) for nearly a decade, serving in a variety of capacities including Vice President of Global Policy and Technology Partnerships. He served as the U.S. secretariat at the World Semiconductor Council and the U.S and was Executive Chairman of the U.S. Information Technology Office in Beijing. He started his professional career in Washington, D.C. as a member of the trade staff of the Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Mr. Steff graduated magna cum laude from American University where he earned a B.A. in International Studies. He completed graduate work at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., and received a M.A. in International Science and Technology Policy from the George Washington University.
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Panel Discussion: The Whole of Government Approach to Supporting CHIPS Investment
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM PDT