From Big Iron to Clusters & Clouds to AI Silicon and Beyond: A Conversation on the Evolution of Supercomputing with Pete Ungaro
September 1, 2026
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Online
Embedded Files
About the Session
The trajectory of high-performance computing (HPC) has always been defined by a relentless pursuit of speed, but the architectural pathways to achieve that speed have shifted dramatically. We are currently living through one of the most disruptive eras in computing history—where the insatiable computational demands of artificial intelligence are driving cloud providers to design their own specialized processors.
To help us put this moment in context, the GCACC is honored to host a live, wide-ranging conversation with Pete Ungaro, one of the most respected and long-serving executives in the history of supercomputing. As the longtime leader of Cray Inc. and subsequently HPE's HPC & AI business, Pete has had a front-row seat to—and actively shaped—supercomputing evolution and pivots over the last three decades.
This online session will trace the fascinating evolution of supercomputing. We will walk through the early, government-funded days of bespoke, special-purpose systems, explore how consumer market dynamics forced a shift to commodity clusters, track the rise of GPUs and cloud infrastructure, and analyze the market forces of AI that have brought us back to the frontier of custom-designed silicon. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from a true industry legend as he connects the lessons of supercomputing's past with the massive computing challenges of our future.
Speaker
Pete Ungaro
Former VP of IBM; President & CEO of Cray Inc.; and SVP/GM of HPC & AI, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Pete Ungaro currently advises early stage and high-growth companies in the tech space including Hoonify, NextSilicon, Qambria, Qoro, SimOps Foundation, SIMR, SpiNNcloud and VDURA.
Ungaro recently served as a Senior Vice President and General Manager of the High Performance Computing (HPC) and Mission Critical Solutions business at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), from HPE’s acquisition of Cray Inc. in September 2019 through April 2021. Ungaro’s business group included Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing as well as Hewlett Packard Labs. Prior to the acquisition, Ungaro was President and Chief Executive Officer of Cray Inc. (since 2005), joining the company in 2003 as Vice President for sales, marketing and service.
Ungaro was named CEO of the Year for 2006 by Seattle Business Monthly magazine for his leadership in turning around the company and one of the “40 under 40” by Corporate Leader Magazine in 2008. In 2013, Bloomberg named him #4 on their list of “Top Tech Turnaround Artists” for generating a total shareholder return of over 361% since becoming CEO of Cray. HPCWire magazine named Ungaro one of their 35 “Legends of HPC” in 2024.
Ungaro was appointed to the United States Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Council and served from 2010 to 2012. The Council advises the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector and government policies and programs that affect U.S. manufacturers.
Before joining Cray in 2003, Ungaro served as Vice President of Sales for Worldwide Deep Computing at IBM. In that role, he led global sales of all server and storage products for high performance computing, life sciences, digital media and business intelligence markets. He held a variety of other sales leadership positions since joining IBM in 1991. Ungaro received a B.A. in business administration from Washington State University.
Google Sites
Report abuse