Bill Hewlett

Bill Hewlett. William Redington Hewlett was an American engineer, businessman, and philanthropist who co-founded the global technology giant Hewlett-Packard. Alongside his partner David Packard, he pioneered the innovative corporate culture known as the "HP Way," which emphasized trust, respect, and engineering excellence. His leadership and technical ingenuity helped transform a small garage-based startup in Palo Alto into a cornerstone of Silicon Valley and a world leader in electronics and computing.

Early life and education

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his father taught at the University of Michigan, Hewlett moved to San Francisco following his father's death. He attended Lowell High School before enrolling at Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1934. At Stanford, he was profoundly influenced by professor Frederick Terman, who encouraged his brightest students to start companies in the region. Hewlett pursued graduate studies in electrical engineering, earning a master's degree from Stanford University in 1936 and another from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1939. His master's thesis at Stanford involved work on a variable-frequency oscillator, a project that would become foundational for his future career.

Co-founding Hewlett-Packard

In 1939, with an initial investment of $538, Hewlett and his former Stanford classmate David Packard formally established their partnership in a now-famous garage at 367 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto. Their first commercially successful product was the HP 200A, a precision audio oscillator based on Hewlett's thesis work. A major breakthrough came when Walt Disney Productions ordered eight HP 200B oscillators to develop the innovative Fantasound system for the film Fantasia. The company was officially incorporated as Hewlett-Packard in 1947, and its early success was built on a reputation for high-quality electronic test and measurement instruments like the HP 524A frequency counter.

Management and leadership at HP

Hewlett served as President of Hewlett-Packard from 1964 to 1977 and later as CEO. He and Packard cultivated a distinctive, decentralized management philosophy that became known as the "HP Way." This approach fostered a culture of openness, innovation, and respect for the individual, famously including practices like management by walking around. Under his leadership, HP expanded globally and diversified its product lines, moving into areas such as minicomputers with the HP 2100 series and launching the world's first handheld scientific calculator, the HP-35. He also oversaw the company's entry into the personal computer market with devices like the HP 9100.

Inventions and technical contributions

Hewlett was a hands-on engineer and held several key patents. His early work on the Wien bridge oscillator led to the HP 200A, which offered superior performance and lower cost than competitors. He contributed to the development of the HP 2116A, one of the company's first computers designed for instrument control. His advocacy for light-emitting diode (LED) technology was instrumental in its early commercial adoption. Furthermore, his support for frequency synthesis techniques advanced the field of electronic measurement. These innovations solidified Hewlett-Packard's reputation as a premier manufacturer of electronic test equipment.

Philanthropy and later life

A dedicated philanthropist, Hewlett served as president of the Stanford University Board of Trustees for many years. In 1966, he co-founded the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation with his first wife, Flora Lamson Hewlett, which became a major grant-making organization supporting education, the environment, and the performing arts. He received numerous honors, including the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. After retiring from active management, he remained on the board of Hewlett-Packard and other organizations like the Packard Humanities Institute. Hewlett passed away in Palo Alto in 2001, leaving a legacy as a pioneer of Silicon Valley and a model of ethical business leadership.

Category:American engineers Category:American businesspeople Category:Stanford University alumni Category:People from Palo Alto, California