Kevin Kalkhoven
Kevin Oscar Newton Kalkhoven, former CEO of JDS Uniphase, is an Australian venture capitalist and auto racing magnate based in Menlo Park, California. He is a partner in the Kalkhoven, Pettit, Levin and Johnson Venture capital firm (KPLJ LLC) based in Menlo Park.
JDS Uniphase Corporation
Kalkhoven joined the Uniphase Corporation in 1992 as President, CEO and Chairman. Kalkhoven oversaw its transformation from a privately held manufacturer of industrial lasers into a publicly held supplier of components and modules for fiber optic telecommunications networks and saw Uniphase become a member of the NASDAQ 100. During Kalkhoven's tenure, as CEO, the Company’s annual sales rate increased over 67 times from $23 million in fiscal 1991 to the $394 million reported for the quarter ended 31 March 2000. Additionally, the market cap of Uniphase grew from $35 million to $100 billion. Kalkhoven oversaw the merger with JDS FITEL in July 1999 and the emergence of the combined entity in the fiber optic components and modules marketplace.[1]
Automotive and Motorsport Interests
Kalkhoven was originally a partner with Dan Pettit in 2003 in founding PK Racing to run in the CART Champ Car World Series with Craig Pollock and the remnants of the PacWest Racing team. In 2004 Jimmy Vasser joined the partnership, replacing Pollock, thus becoming PKV Racing. The team still exists as KV Racing Technologies, which ran cars for Oriol Servia and Will Power as full-time drivers in the 2008 IRL IndyCar Series. Pettit, the 'P' in PKV, left to purchase the RuSport team from Carl Russo, who decided to step away from the sport after the 2006 season.
In 2003, Kalkhoven became one of the owners of the Champ Car World Series, with Gerald Forsythe, Paul Gentilozzi and Dan Pettit under the name OWRS, or Open-Wheel Racing Series. Additionally, Kalkhoven purchased the Cosworth and Pi Group companies from Ford in 2004 with Gerald Forsythe, along with purchasing the rights to major races in Toronto and Long Beach as strategic measures to ensure the future of the Champ Car series. In March 2008, Champ Car declared bankruptcy, and an agreement was reached with Tony George, owner of the Indy Racing League, to merge the two series under the IRL IndyCar Series banner for 2008 and beyond.
Miscellaneous
Kalkhoven was named as the Number 5 Most Powerful and Influential man in Racer Magazine's 2005 Power and Influence in Racing list (November 2005 issue.)
Kalkhoven is a licensed aviator and is known to fly his own Gulfstream 550 Transcontinental luxury jet (N144KK) all over the world.
Kalkhoven was educated at the Whitgift School in Croydon, England. After leaving school he joined Mobil in Sevenoaks, England before joining IBM as a systems analyst.