Spartan Profiles: Steve Akers
KING OF NETWORKS
The rapid growth of the Internet has created a huge demand for network switches and other Internet Protocol (IP) services. Responding to the demand, Steve Akers, ’80, founded Spring Tide Networks, Maynard, MA, in 1998. He created a smart box that, in his words, “allows a person to have Internet access and other data services as ubiquitously as you can get phone service.” That smart box—known as an Internet Protocol Services Switch 5000—proved to be reliable and instantly became the preferred choice of AT&T, British Telecom, Nippon T&T, cable companies, and other internet service providers.
Last September, Akers sold Spring Tide for a cool $1.3 billion to Lucent Technologies, where he now serves as CTO for the InterNetworking Systems Division. “The funny thing is that when I became interested in networking, long before the Internet, my friends would always joke about it,” recalls Akers. “But not now.”
Ironically, Steve studied packaging at MSU and only became interested in computer software his senior year. After graduate degrees in computer science in Massachusetts, he worked at several computer companies, including Hewlett- Packard, before moving to Shiva, where he build the famed LanRover Access Switch. “It’s hard work,” says Steve, “but I’ve been fortunate in being around a lot of smart people who helped me learn.”
He also credits his alma mater. “There was such a breadth of stuff to study,” recalls the native of Mason, MI. “MSU had world leaders in every field. I had professors like Al Evans in math who inspired me to learn more.”
His wife Mary Elizabeth (Hinchey), ’78, graduated from MSU’s James Madison College. “Every year we come back to campus to feed the ducks and to buy MSU apparel for our (three) boys,” says Steve. “We’re great Spartan fans. In fact, today our kids all wore their Mateen Cleaves jerseys to class.”
