Rodney Smith, 67; had chaired computer chip maker Altera’s board

Rodney Smith, 67, the former chairman of computer chip maker Altera Corp., died Friday morning after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle near the San Francisco Bay Area city of Portola Valley, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Smith, a Portola Valley resident, was declared dead about 20 minutes after the crash, on Sand Hill Road west of Interstate 280.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Smith had spent 20 years as chairman of San Jose-based Altera before retiring in January 2003.

Born in Oldham, England, he earned an engineering degree at Southampton College of Advanced Technology in England and served in the British Army before coming to the United States.

He worked for General Electric and Fairchild Semiconductor before joining Altera.

Smith was also a philanthropist whose donations included a $1-million gift to the Portola Valley Open Space Acquisition Fund in 2000.