Robert Stempel - Later Career

Later Career

In 1993, Stempel joined Stanford Ovshinsky, founder of Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) as an adviser. Stempel was named chairman in 1995.

Shortly after Stempel became chairman, ECD partnered engineered and provided the nickel-metal hydride batteries powered the EV-1. In 1999, ECD partnered with Intel in a joint-venture called Ovonyx which developed nonsilicon-based memory for electronic devices for Intel, Samsung Electronics and BAE Systems. Subsequently ECD formed joint ventures with Texaco Energy Systems Inc., GE Plastics and Belgium-based N.V. Bekaert S.A. The promising technologies and met with losses. Before retiring in 2007, Stempel was chairman of Energy Conversion for almost 12 years.

Ovshinsky called Stempel "a visionary who saw the need for the U.S. to be independent of foreign oil." Before retiring in 2007, Stempel was chairman of Energy Conversion for almost 12 years.

At the time of his death, Stempel served on the board of directors of Envia Systems, a Newark, California-based company that provided GM's battery engineering team with access to advanced lithium-ion cathode technology delivering higher cell energy density and lower cost. In March 2010, he had joined the board of directors of Genesis Fluid Solutions Holdings, a water purification company in Colorado Springs, Colorado.