Dick Levy

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Dick Levy (Richard Meyer Levy), born in 1938, is a business leader who led Varian Medical Systems. He was CEO from 1999 to 2006 and chair of the board from 2002 to 2014. He guided the company after it split from Varian Inc. in 1999. Known as a hands-on leader, he visited all company facilities and encouraged employees. Under his care, the company grew substantially and became a world leader in medical radiation equipment. He retired as CEO in February 2006 and was succeeded by Timothy E. Guertin.

Levy is described as a scientist and businessman with big ideas and practical judgment. His work helped establish the Linac as a key medical device and advanced radiation oncology. His savvy management played an important role in Varian’s success in the medical field.

He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, attended Dartmouth College, and earned a Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from UC Berkeley. He married Susan Lewis Levy in 1964. He began working for Varian in 1968. His pay in 2004 was about $9.5 million, and in 2005 it rose to over $19 million, making him one of Silicon Valley’s wealthiest executives.

Levy is also a noted philanthropist and received the 2010 David Packard Award for civic engagement from the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network. In 2003, he was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award recipient for Northern California.