Background
Habiger was born in Joliet, Illinois. His father is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur. In the late 1970s, his mother was engaged in the computer revolution and introduced Dave to technology at an early age.
Habiger was born in Joliet, Illinois. His father is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur. In the late 1970s, his mother was engaged in the computer revolution and introduced Dave to technology at an early age.
In 1997, he received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
He received a bachelor"s degree from Saint Norbert College and began producing documentaries after graduation. In 1991 he founded Providence Productions, which focused on funding, producing, and distributing documentaries. He was instrumental in its initial public offering.
Under his leadership, Sonic became one of the largest global providers of premium movies and television shows via the Web and Civil Engineering devices.
He emphasizes engineering excellence and empowering the engineers in an organization. Since its IPO, the company generated over $1.5 billion in revenue in the digital media category and has been named one of Forbes, Fortune and Business Week’s Fastest Growing Companies on multiple occasions.
Sonic opened the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation market in 2008 and 2010. He sold it to Rovi Corporation (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: ROVI) for a 66% premium—slightly under 1 billion dollars after stock adjustments to the deal.
After the sale to Rovi, he was appointed as NDS Chief Executive Officer in 2011.
Shortly after filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its New York Stock Exchange-listed IPO, Habiger announced the sale of NDS to Cisco for $5 billion. The sale was closed in the second half of 2012. He is a Senior Advisor to Silver Lake Partners and a Venture Partner at Pritzker Group.
Habiger has been involved in electric cars since the early 2000s, with ownership in several Electric Vehicle businesses.
He was Chairman for the Chicago Electric Vehicle Commission under Mayor Richard M. Daley"s administration. In 2011, he was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
In 2008, he was chosen as one of Corporate Leader Magazine’s 40 under 40 business leaders and regularly appears as an industry expert on major media outlets including: Consumer News and Business Channel, Cable News Network, Fox, United States of America Today, TheStreet.Com, and Bloomberg television The Hollywood Reporter chose him as one of 2010’s Digital Power 50. Between March 2009 and March 2011 he oversaw a 2388% increase in Sonic’s market capitalization as the company reinvented its core business.
He sold Sonic to Rovi Corporation (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: ROVI) in early 2011 at a 66% premium - slightly under 1 billion dollars after stock adjustments to the deal.
Habiger serves as a director on the boards of Control4(National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: CTRL), Echo Global (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: ECHO), Klein Tools, Follett Corporation, Digital Smiths and Textura (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: TCTR). Personal life
He holds dual citizenship in both the United States and Ireland. Philanthropy
Habiger sits on the advisory boards for the Heroic Imagination Project, the University of Chicago, and the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which provides entrepreneurial education to young people from low-income communities.
He began working with the founding members of Sonic Solutions (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: SNIC) in 1992, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, as well as a member of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and for the Center for Corporate Innovation.
Habiger is a member of the RealD (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation: RLD) board.
He is a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. He is also a member of the board of directors for the Hinsdale Historical Society.