William Redington Hewlett, 1913-2001
Cofounder of
Silicon Valley electronics corporation
Hewlett-Packard, William Hewlett was the 26th wealthiest American in the year 2000, according to
Forbes magazine. His
net worth of approximately $9
billion US was a reflection of the enormous
success of the
corporation he built alongside his partner,
David Packard. He passed away yesterday, Friday January 12th, 2001, in his
sleep and of
natural causes.
William Hewlett lead the company from its inception (in a 1-car garage) in Depression-era 1937 (and served actively as president and CEO from 1969) until 1977. He remained vice chairman until 1987, and retired in 1993. He was awarded the National Medal of Science by president Reagan in 1985.
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and raised in California, he held degrees from Stanford (B.A., M.Engr.) and M.I.T. (S.M.), as well as a large number of honorary doctoral degrees from institutions across the continent. He was also a widely respected philanthropist and actively supported a number of humanitarian causes. He will undoubtedly be missed by many in the modern technology industry he helped make possible. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and five children from his first marriage.