from 1967 to 1973, during college, galvin held part-time summer assignments at motorola. from 1973 to 1983, he served full-time positions in sales, sales management, marketing management and mobile two-way radio product management, taking leave 1975–77 to attend graduate business school full-time. from 1983 to 1985, he became marketing director then general manager of the tegal semiconductor equipment unit owned by motorola inc. in 1985, he became vice-president and director of motorola's radio paging division, where he sponsored the team that created one of the first virtually completely automated manufacturing operations in the us, called project bandit. galvin was promoted to corporate vice-president and general manager of paging. in 1988, he was named chief corporate staff officer of the corporation, later senior vice president and appointed to the policy and operating committees of motorola inc. in 1990, he was promoted to assistant chief operating officer and joined as the third member of the office of the ceo of motorola inc. in 1993, he was elevated to president and chief operating officer. in 1997, he became ceo. in 1999, he added the role of chairman of the board to that of ceo.