Scott Kriens
Scott Kriens | |
|---|---|
| Born | United States |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, business executive |
| Known for | Chairman and former CEO of Juniper Networks |
Scott Kriens is an American entrepreneur known for his roles as chairman and former chief executive officer of Juniper Networks.
Early life and education
In 1979, Kriens completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics at California State University, East Bay. During his college years, he financed his education by repairing European sports automobiles.
Career
Kriens started his professional journey in marketing at Burroughs Corporation, which later merged with Sperry to create Unisys. He subsequently joined Tandem Computers before co-founding the telecommunications equipment firm StrataCom, Inc. in 1986. As vice president of sales and operations until 1996, he contributed significantly to Stratacom's expansion, culminating in its $4.5 billion acquisition by Cisco.
After being approached by Crosspoint Venture Partners, Kriens took on the CEO position at Juniper Networks in October 1996, a role he held until September 2008. His leadership is largely credited for Juniper's commercial achievements, with the company's stock price increasing from $57 per share at the start of 2000 to a high of $243 in October that same year. In 2008, Kevin Johnson replaced him as CEO while Kriens continued serving as chairman.
From 2006 through 2008, Kriens was listed among the top 500 highest-paid executives by Forbes. Additionally, he earned the EY Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the United States in 2000 for his guidance at Juniper Networks.
1440 Foundation and 1440 Multiversity
Together with his wife Joanie, Kriens established the 1440 Foundation and the 1440 Multiversity retreat center in 2010. Situated among the redwoods in Scotts Valley, California, this center emphasizes leadership growth and holistic wellness.