James P. Clappin is president of Corning Display Technologies (CDT). In this role, he is responsible for all business and manufacturing operations across the division's five regions: Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China and the United States.
Clappin joined Corning Incorporated in 1980 as a process engineer in the Central Falls, R.I., manufacturing plant. He transitioned to GTE Corporation in 1983 when the facility was sold, and returned to Corning in 1988. He served in a variety of manufacturing management roles in the consumer products division and began working in the display business in 1994.
In 1996, Clappin relocated to Japan to assume the position of plant manager at the Shizuoka manufacturing facility. He then progressed through a number of management leadership positions with increasing responsibilities, leading to his appointment as general manager of the CDT worldwide business in May 2002. He remained in that position until he assumed his current role in September 2005.
Throughout Clappin's tenure in the CDT business, the demand for LCD glass has grown exponentially. Over time, the focus of the display industry has shifted from applications for notebook computers and desktop monitors to small portable devices and LCD television. In response to market demand, Clappin has overseen the expansion of the business across Asia, including the launch of CDT's business in Taiwan and the introduction of several of the world's largest fully integrated LCD glass manufacturing plants. Under his leadership, Corning's sales increased four-fold between 2002 and 2006.
Clappin's organization also has led the development of new technologies for advanced displays. These include large-size glass and the award-winning, environmentally friendly EAGLE XG® glass substrates, as well as emerging technologies such as polysilicon substrates and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) solution. Corning's commitment to research and development has delivered many LCD product and productivity improvements that have helped enable the overall growth of the industry.
Clappin serves as a director of Samsung Corning Precision. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rhode Island.