The Mory Ejabat Chair will be awarded to a tenured full professor with an outstanding record in both scholarship and teaching in the college. The first Ejabat Chair has yet to be named.

"This gift symbolizes the excellence achieved by our faculty and students. It is both inspirational and transformational, and will serve as a magnet for others who may be considering giving to the college to support faculty with chairs and professorships," said S.T. Mau, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

"Our college has been providing excellent education in engineering and computer science for nearly 50 years," Mau continued. "Our graduates are sought after by employers in the region and beyond. Many of our alumni, like Mr. Ejabat, have gone on to become entrepreneurs and major employers themselves. Mr. Ejabat's career is a symbol of the success of our alumni, and his gift is an indication not only of his generosity, but of his belief in the future possibilities of our college."

Ejabat, who holds a bachelor's of science in industrial engineering and a master's in systems engineering from Cal State Northridge, is co-founder of Oakland-based Zhone Technologies Inc., which is the first company dedicated to building total-delivery solutions for voice, data and video services to access the local network.

"My degrees from Northridge have been the foundation of my success as an engineer, CEO and entrepreneur. I could not have done it without CSUN," Ejabat said.

Ejabat was the 2004 commencement speaker for the college. In his speech, he illustrated how foresight, innovation and commitment to success guided his career and he encouraged that year's graduates "to learn from your mistakes and take advantage of your opportunities. Focus on what it is you are trying to accomplish, innovate and move forward with new ideas. Let mistakes be the platform of your next success."

Ejabat was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1950. He immigrated to the United States in 1970. He graduated from CSUN with his bachelor's degree in 1976 and his master's in 1979.

He has served as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Zhone Technologies since its inception in 1999. Prior to co-founding Zhone, Ejabat held various senior management positions with Ascend Communications, Inc., which in 1999, during his tenure as president and chief executive officer, was successfully sold to Lucent Technologies, Inc.

Cal State Northridge's College of Engineering and Computer Science is home to several nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty members and industry professionals on cutting-edge research.