November 16, 2005 – President George W. Bush announced that IBM has been awarded the 2004 National Medal of Technology by the US Department of Commerce and the Technology Administration in recognition of more than four decades of innovation in semiconductor technology.

The award recognizes IBM advances that have improved the performance and versatility of today’s microprocessors, citing significant breakthroughs such as the development of multicore-processor integration, DRAM (dynamic random access memory), the use of copper on-chip wiring, silicon on insulator (SOI) technology, and high-speed Silicon Germanium chips.

The National Medal of Technology is the highest honor awarded by the US President to America’s leading innovators. It recognizes companies and individuals who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness, standard of living, and quality of life through technological innovation, and substantial contributions to strengthening the nation’s technological work force.

“At IBM, we understand that the true value of innovation comes not from the invention but rather the application of new technology to benefit business and society,” said Nick Donofrio, executive vice president, innovation and technology. “We’re honored to be recognized for our long-term commitment to basic research and development – and more motivated than ever to extend the limits of what is possible in the future.”

Established by an act of Congress in 1980, the Medal of Technology was first awarded in 1985. By highlighting the national importance of technological innovation, the Medal also seeks to inspire future generations of Americans to prepare for and pursue technical careers to keep America at the forefront of global technology and economic leadership. IBM last received the Medal of Technology in 2000 for innovation in the technology of hard-disk drives and information storage products.