COMPANIES
Amgen (AMGN)
Applied Biosystems (ABI)
Applied Micro Circuits (AMCC)
IDEC Pharmaceuticals (BIIB)
Figaro
Her Interactive
Hypres
Novocell

ASSISTANT
Nancy Garbe
650.494.7400
assetman.com email: Nancy

Pitch Johnson leads the Asset Management team. Known throughout the venture capital industry for his vision, insight and principles, he has been at the center of a number of Silicon Valley's biggest and longest-running success stories. He is recognized as one of the pioneers of the venture capital business.

A Palo Alto High School graduate in 1946, Pitch started in venture capital after graduating from Stanford University and Harvard Business School, serving in the United States Air Force and working as a supervisor in the open hearth at Inland Steel. In 1962, he and Bill Draper set up an early venture fund, Draper and Johnson Investment Company, and made a number of successful early-stage investments, prior to the portfolio being acquired by Sutter Hill Ventures.

In 1965 Pitch founded Asset Management Company. Over the ensuing decades, Pitch made many venture investments and launched and managed several venture entities. Many Silicon Valley firms owe their success to the leadership that came from Asset Management.

Among Pitch's accomplishments, he helped found Amgen in 1980 and served on the board of directors for 27 years. He has also served on the board of directors of many other companies, including IDEC, Coherent Laser, Applied Micro Circuits, Tandem Computers and, until its merger into BMC Software, served for 30 years as chairman of the board of Boole and Babbage. Pitch remains an active board member of three private companies.

In addition, Pitch has devoted time to developing venture capital operations in other countries, particularly in Eastern Europe. He created and taught the first course on venture capital at Stanford Business School for 12 years.

Pitch and his family are actively involved in philanthropic and community activities, primarily in the Bay Area. He also has been active in alumni affairs at both Stanford and Harvard Business Schools, and served for 12 years as a trustee of the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District. Pitch is a long-time director of the San Francisco Opera and is its board chairman. He is also chairman of the board of the Franklin and Catherine Johnson Foundation.