E. Jim Prendergast is the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of IEEE, where he is responsible for oversight of initiatives to further IEEE’s role in fostering innovation and technology excellence. He leads the IEEE staff organization, which consists of approximately 1000 employees in several U.S. and overseas locations. With more than 400,000 members in over 160 countries, the IEEE is the world's largest professional association advancing technology for humanity.

Prior to joining IEEE, Jim served as Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies, a four-billion dollar global enterprise. New business ventures in flat-panel displays, PV, fuel cells and photonics, were incubated under Jim’s guidance. In February 2003, he was elected to the DuPont Photomasks (DPMI) Board of Directors and remained through the successful acquisition of DPMI by Toppan in April 2005.

Previously, Jim was Vice President and Director of Motorola’s Physical Sciences Research Laboratories. During his tenure he directed long-range research in future integrated systems (memory, semiconductor materials, nanostructures, quantum devices, etc.), energy (thermoelectrics, fuel cells, etc.), lab-on-a-chip (microfluidics, DNA analyses, etc), and various speculative 'reach-out' initiatives. Other assignments at Motorola included directing the Wireless Research & Development Laboratory, leading the Microcontroller and Mixed-Mode Technology Center and serving as Chief Technologist and Director of Strategy, all within Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector (now Freescale Semiconductor).

Jim’s first role following his doctorate was leading the development, importation, installation and support of process and device modeling tools for silicon and GaAs technologies for AT&T Bell Laboratories.

An IEEE Senior Member, Jim earned a Bachelor's degree in science and a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, both from Sydney University in Australia. He received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Cambridge University.