A Visionary Entrepreneur:
Phil Wiser Co-Founder, Chairman and President, Sezmi, Belmont, CA
Former CTO, Sony Corporation of America (SCA)
B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland, 1990, summa cum laude
M.S., Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, 1993
"The signals and systems program opened the world of digital signal processing to me."
Phil Wiser holds a summa cum laude bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. He is co-founder, chairman and president of Sezmi, formerly known as Building B. Prior to this position, Wiser served as chief technology officer of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), where he led SCA’s overall digital media business and technology strategy and was responsible for coordinating these efforts across Sony’s content and electronics companies. He forged the ground breaking deals with iTunes and pioneered the mobile music space during his tenure at Sony Music. Prior to joining Sony Music, Wiser co-founded Liquid Audio, Inc. and served on its board of directors and as chief technology officer. At Liquid Audio, he created the first commercial internet music distribution platform and led the creation of key technologies that now enable the digital music marketplace. Wiser holds a series of patents in digital music distribution, audio compression and processing and security as a result of these efforts. Wiser also served as a member of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department's Advisory Board at the University of Maryland.
Phil Wiser
and fellow ECE alumnus Dr. Buno Pati (B.S. '86, M.S. '88, Ph.D. '92) recently announced the creation of a new broadcast TV network called "Sezmi." The new network, set to debut later this year, will deliver TV shows to most large U.S. cities for about half of the monthly cost of cable and satellite television. Learn more about Sezmi's revolutionary broadcast network technology.
Q & A with Phil:
Q. Can you name one or two of the most valuable things that you learned in the University of Maryland's Electrical Engineering program that helped prepare you for your current career?
The signals and systems program opened the world of digital signal processing to me. That knowledge formed the basis of my career in digital media and ultimately enabled me to develop many solutions for new modes of entertainment, including the first commercial distribution of music over the Internet.
Q. What advice would you offer to incoming students to get the most out of their experiences here?
Much of my learning and passion for the field came from working with groups of students who had similar interests and capabilities while at College Park. I met my partner in creating Sezmi, Dr. Buno Pati, while at Maryland. I recommend actively seeking out other students who are inspired and want to get the most out of technology. Those people may ultimately be leaders in the industry and will help you take your lessons beyond the classroom.
