Charlie Sporck left Fairchild Semiconductor in 1967 to take over as CEO of National Semiconductor and become an industry legend. His impact on the company was pretty immediate as this press report, dated May 1969, observes:
‘Since Charles Sporck took over control of National in America their turnover has grown dramatically and is now around $45m a year", wrote Electronics Weekly, "next year should see a further substantial increase with the result that they mave move into fourth palce in the American semiconductor league.’
"Since they entered the UK market in July 1967, their sales have already exceeded $2m (about £830,000) being mainly for linear ICs.”
Note: the $/£ exchange rate - not so different from today's.